Massachusetts Primary: Bill Galvin Urges Voters Not to Mail Ballots

With the Massachusetts primary election scheduled for September 1, Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin issued an urgent warning to voters on Thursday, August 27, advising that mail-in ballots should no longer be sent through the mail because of delivery time concerns. According to Secretary Galvin, well over 100,000 mail-in ballots remain unreturned as of Thursday, and voters must utilize alternative return methods to ensure their votes are counted.

Secretary Galvin addressed reporters at a news conference on Thursday, August 27, detailing the logistics facing the upcoming primary contests. According to Secretary Galvin, the proximity of the election makes mail delivery too risky for arriving by the deadline.

“We strongly recommend, if they are going to vote by mail, do not mail the ballot. It’s too late. We can’t be sure we’re going to receive it,” Secretary Galvin told reporters, according to CBS News. “Because this is a primary, all the ballots have to be in the possession of local election officials by 8 o’clock on Tuesday night.”

Ballots must physically reach local election offices by 8 o’clock on Tuesday night. Secretary Galvin noted that the possibility of them being not received in time exceeds the likelihood that they will be.

Alternative Ballot Return Methods and Drop Box Locations

To bypass postal delays, election officials are directing voters to use secure local drop boxes or in-person delivery options. According to Secretary Galvin, all communities have drop boxes.

Voters can locate specific drop box addresses by consulting the official website. Additionally, unreturned mail-in ballots can be dropped off at early voting sites or directly returned to local city and town halls.

“They can take them to an early voting site, at least through tomorrow. Or, they can get them back to city and town halls,” Secretary Galvin said, as reported by CBS News. “The point is this. Do not mail, because the possibility of them being not received in time exceeds the likelihood that they will be.”

Primary Election Day Schedule and Candidate Selections

For residents who choose to cast their ballots in person on September 1, polling locations across Massachusetts will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Voters participating in both the Democratic and Republican primaries will select candidates for the statewide general election scheduled for November 3.