Registration and a mail-ballot request are different steps. Boston lists October 24 at 5 p.m. for registration in person at City Hall, Room 241, and 11:59 p.m. for online registration at voteinma.com. A mailed registration must carry an October 24 postmark. A mail-ballot application instead has to be received by 5 p.m. October 27; posting it that day is not sufficient.
Registered Boston voters can use any city early-voting site from October 17 through October 30. That flexibility does not apply to Election Day, when voters use their assigned polling location. Neighborhood sites and hours vary by day, so check the Election Department’s current early-voting page before travelling. City Hall has extended Tuesday and Thursday hours during the early-voting period.
Keep applications and completed ballots separate. Boston says not to put mail-ballot applications in ballot drop boxes. Completed ballots may be returned through the authorized ballot-return routes, but not at an Election Day polling place. In-person and drop-box ballot returns must reach election officials by 8 p.m. November 3. For postal returns in this state election, a November 3 postmark and receipt by 5 p.m. November 6 are required.
The city also lists an accessible electronic ballot option for qualifying voters whose disability prevents them from independently handling a paper ballot. Those applications have the October 27, 5 p.m. receipt deadline and require an email address. Consult the Election Department for help with a particular voting situation rather than assuming a general deadline covers every exception.
People interested in election work can apply at boston.gov/pollworkers. The announcement lists stipends of $160–$200 plus required-training pay and encourages bilingual applicants. These are opportunities to apply, not a guarantee of placement or a particular assignment.