On March 5, Massachusetts voters will make their voices heard in the 2024 presidential election. In the primary contest, voters will choose which candidate they want to represent each party in the general election in November.

Primaries in other states have already begun, and will continue through the spring. Mar. 5 is Super Tuesday, when 14 other states will also be heading to the polls.

Here's what you need to know to cast your ballot, all the details all in one place.

Important dates

  • Deadline to register to vote: February 24, 2024
  • Deadline to apply to vote by mail: February 27, 2024
  • Presidential primary: March 5, 2024

What’s on the ballot

Massachusetts voters will have one of three party ballots: Democratic, Republican or Libertarian. You’ll get the ballot for the party in which you’re registered. If you are unaffiliated, you can choose at your polling place or choose in your vote by mail application.

More Politics

On the Democratic side, you’ll find President Joe Biden, as well as long-shot candidates U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson, although Williamson recently suspended her campaign.

Republican ballots will include former President Donald Trump as well as former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Ryan Binkley, Vivek Ramaswamy, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. Haley is the only candidate still left to seriously contend with Trump.

On the Libertarian side, you’ll find Jacob George Hornberger, Michael Rectenwald, Chase Russell Oliver, Mike ter Maat and Lars Damian Mapstead.

On each ballot you’ll also see contests for state party positions, including State Committee Man, State Committee Woman and Ward Committee.

See a sample of your ballot here.

What’s not on the ballot

You will not be voting yet for ballot questions, senators, representatives, city council or any other major state and national offices. Those contests will come during the general election in the fall.

Who can vote in the primary

In Massachusetts, any voter can vote in the presidential primary as long as you’re registered, regardless of whether you’re registered with a specific party.

If you want to change your party affiliation in Massachusetts or you’ve moved since the last time you voted, you need to register again by Feb. 24. You can check your registration status here.

You can register to vote online, by mail or in person. Learn more here or check with your local election office. To register, you must be at least 18 years old. You can pre-register if you are 16 or 17. You can register to vote if you’re incarcerated, as long as it’s not for a felony conviction.

How to vote

Massachusetts voters have many options when it comes to voting, from voting by mail to early voting.

Absentee voting and vote by mail

If you plan to vote with an absentee ballot, you must meet certain criteria: You will not be in your city or town on primary day; your religious beliefs prevent you from voting in person; or you have a disability that prevents you from being at your polling place. You can apply by mail, email or fax through your local election office.

Earlier this year, all Massachusetts voters should have been sent an application to vote by mail. As long as you’re registered to vote, you don’t need an excuse to vote by mail. You can also apply online. You must submit the application by Feb. 27. Officials are urging voters to apply as soon as possible. You can use the online ballot tracker tool to check in with the status of your ballot.

The deadline to return absentee and mail-in ballots is Mar. 5 by the time polls close. You can return it using the provided envelope, at your local election office or at a ballot drop box. Boston will have drop box locations around the city. View the map.

Early voting

As long as you’re registered to vote, you can choose to vote early in person. You don’t need a reason to vote early. Early voting will take place from Saturday, Feb. 24, through Friday, Mar. 1. You don’t have to use your assigned polling place. Boston will have several early voting locations.

Vote in person on election day

You can always vote in person on election day, Mar. 5. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Find your polling location here. 

Accessible voting

All polling locations are required to be physically accessible, including accessible parking, entrances and ramps. Every voter has a right to bring someone to the polls to assist them in any part of the voting process.

Every polling location should have an AutoMARK voting machine so that anyone can vote independently. If you’d like to vote by mail, you can request an accessible ballot when you fill out the application to vote by mail. Voters with disabilities also have the option to submit their ballot electronically.