A Guide to Voting in the 2026 State Election

2026 State General Election Voting Guide

The 2026 State General Election will be held Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Andover voters have several options for casting their ballot, including voting in person on Election Day, voting by mail, or voting early in person.

Key Dates

• Saturday, October 24: Deadline to register to vote
• Tuesday, October 27 at 5:00 PM: Deadline to apply for a Vote by Mail ballot
• Tuesday, November 3: Election Day
• 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM: Polling hours on Election Day
• Friday, November 6 at 5:00 PM: Deadline for qualifying ballots returned by domestic mail to be received, provided they are postmarked by Election Day
  

Three Ways to Vote

Andover voters can choose the voting option that works best for them:

1. Vote in person on Election Day at your assigned polling location.
2. Vote by mail by requesting and returning a Vote by Mail ballot.
3. Vote early in person at an Andover early voting location before Election Day.

Information about each option is provided below.

What’s on the Ballot?

The November 3 State General Election will include candidates for the following federal, state, and district offices:

• U.S. Senator
• U.S. Representative
• Governor and Lieutenant Governor
• Attorney General
• Secretary of State
• Treasurer
• Auditor
• Governor’s Councillor
• State Senator
• State Representative
• District Attorney
• Register of Probate

The ballot will also include nine statewide ballot questions. Additional information about the ballot and specimen ballots will be posted as Election Day approaches.

Register to Vote

The deadline to register to vote in the State General Election is Saturday, October 24, 2026.

Residents can register to vote or update their registration online at www.RegisterToVoteMA.com. Online registrations must be completed by 11:59 PM on October 24. Mail-in voter registration forms must be postmarked by October 24.

Residents may also register in person through the Town Clerk’s Office at Town Offices, 36 Bartlet Street. Additional information regarding registration hours on October 24 will be provided as the deadline approaches.

Voters are encouraged to confirm that their registration information is current before the election. Registration status can be checked through the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website or by calling the Town Clerk’s Office at 978-623-8230.

Vote in Person on Election Day

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Polls will be open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Andover polling locations are:

• Precincts 1 and 3: Cormier Youth Center, Whittier Court
• Precincts 4, 4A, 5 and 6: Wood Hill Middle School
• Precincts 2, 7, 8, 9 and 10: Andover High School Richard J. Collins Field House, Shawsheen Road

Residents can confirm their precinct and polling location by visiting www.sec.state.ma.us/wheredoivotema/.

Vote by Mail

Any registered voter may choose to vote by mail in the State General Election. No excuse is required.

Voting by mail involves three steps:

1. Request a ballot.
2. Receive and complete your ballot.
3. Return your completed ballot to the Town Clerk’s Office.

Requesting a Vote by Mail Ballot

Vote by Mail applications are available through the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s online application system, on the Town website, or from the Town Clerk’s Office at Town Offices, 36 Bartlet Street.

Completed applications may be returned to the Town Clerk’s Office in person, by mail, or through other methods permitted by state law.

The deadline for the Town Clerk’s Office to receive a Vote by Mail application for the November election is Tuesday, October 27 at 5:00 PM. A postmark by the deadline is not sufficient, so voters using a paper application are encouraged to submit it well in advance.

If you submitted a Vote by Mail application requesting ballots for all 2026 elections, you do not need to submit another application for the November election. Voters who only requested a ballot for the September State Primary will need to submit a new application to vote by mail in November.

Returning Your Ballot

After an application is processed, the Town Clerk’s Office will mail the voter a ballot and a prepaid return envelope.

Completed ballots may be:

• Mailed to the Town Clerk’s Office at 36 Bartlet Street
• Returned to the Town Clerk’s Office
• Deposited in the Town’s secure ballot drop box at 36 Bartlet Street

Ballots returned in person or through the ballot drop box must be received by 8:00 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3. Ballots cannot be returned directly to an Election Day polling location.

For the November State Election, ballots returned by domestic mail may arrive after Election Day. To be counted, they must be postmarked by November 3 and received by the Town Clerk’s Office no later than 5:00 PM on Friday, November 6.

Voters can track the status of their mail-in ballot online.

Vote Early in Person

In-person Early Voting will be available for the November 3 State General Election.

Massachusetts has established the statewide Early Voting period as October 17 through October 30. Andover’s specific Early Voting dates, hours, and location information are coming soon and will be posted once finalized.

An application is not required to vote early in person. Registered Andover voters may visit an Andover Early Voting location during scheduled Early Voting hours and cast their ballot.

Questions?

Questions about voter registration, Vote by Mail, Early Voting, polling locations, or the State General Election can be directed to the Andover Town Clerk’s Office:

Town Clerk’s Office
36 Bartlet Street
Andover, MA 01810
Phone: 978-623-8230
Email: townclerk@andoverma.us