Over 1 million ballots cast in Bay State as almost a quarter of voters participate early

More than one million Massachusetts residents have already voted in the 2024 election, according to Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s office.

By the secretary’s count, with more than 1.1. million votes cast by mail and at early voting locations, 23.5% of all registered Bay State voters have already made their voices heard with more than a week left in the election.

Here’s the full breakdown as of Monday, according to Galvin’s staff:

Vote by mail applications received — 1,384,983 (27.4% of voters); ballots mailed — 1,376,935 (99.4% of requested ballots); ballots returned — 859,539 (62.4% of mailed ballots); early ballots cast — 327,923; total ballots cast so far — 1,187,462 (23.5% of registered voters).

Early voting runs through Friday, and mail in ballots can be counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and received by November 8. Overseas voters get until the 15th, but ballots must be postmarked as mailed by November 5.

Due to the unpredictability of the U.S. mail, voters still holding mail in ballots after Tuesday (today) are encouraged to vote at a polling place instead of mailing it in and risking its late arrival. Voters can also use a polling place if they mail their ballot but it isn’t marked as received by November 5.

“Voters are encouraged to vote in person if their ballots aren’t delivered by Election Day. Before counting any ballots, clerks will refer to the voter lists, to ensure that no voter casts more than one ballot. Mail-in ballots returned by those who voted in person will be rejected,” Galvin’s staff advised.

According to Galvin’s office, city and town clerks can begin placing ballots in the tabulators as of Sunday, but official counts can’t be viewed until polls close at 8 p.m. on November 5. State law does not require local clerks to provide election-night unofficial results, and “as such, there is no official Election Night reporting in Massachusetts.”