Voter Registration

You can become a registered voter in the Town of Provincetown in a number of ways:

• Come in to the Town Clerk’s Office and complete a Voter Registration Application;
• Contact the Town Clerk’s Office and request that we mail you a Voter Registration Application, which you can then complete and mail back or drop off in the Town Clerk’s Office;
• Register to Vote Online: To submit an online application, you must have a valid driver’s license, learner’s permit, or non-driver ID issued by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). You must also have a signature on file with the RMV. If you don not have an RMVID, you can still use the online system to create an application. PRINT and sign the completed form, and then mail it to the Town Clerk’s Office.
• Request a Voter Registration Form through the Elections Division in the Secretary of State’s Office (PDF).
• Register at the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Keep your motor voter receipt until you receive confirmation from the Town Clerk. If you do not receive any confirmation, please contact the town Clerk’s Office to verify your voting status.

Voting by Mail

Massachusetts voters now have the option to vote early by mail in all elections, with no excuse required. To obtain an application for a Vote By Mail Ballot Click  here, or visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth's website. Applications may be sent by mail to the Town Clerk's Office or dropped off in the Official Ballot Drop Box located on the side of Town Hall. Applications may also be submitted electronically by fax to 508-487-9560 or e-mail to epaine@provincetown-ma.gov or aruiz@provincetown-ma.gov as long as your signature is visible. Mailed Ballots must be requested in writing at least 5 business days before Election Day. 

Vote By Mail Ballots may be requested by any registered voter of the Town of Provincetown, and a reason is not required.

In 2022, Vote by Mail applications will be mailed in July and September to every voter who hasn’t already requested a mail-in ballot for the fall elections. These applications will be pre-addressed to your local election office and postage pre-paid. If you fill out and return this postcard, you do not need to also return the above application, and vice-versa. Only one application is required to receive a ballot by mail.

In addition to no-excuse early voting by mail, Massachusetts has absentee voting for those who qualify. While early Vote by Mail ballots are more common, there are special circumstances where you need to apply for an absentee ballot instead. You can find more information about absentee ballot eligibility under Absentee Ballots below.

Application Deadlines

Any mail-in ballot must be requested in writing at least 5 business days before Election Day.
 Application deadlines for 2023 are listed below. Your application can only be accepted if it has reached your local election office by the deadline.

Apply as early as possible, especially if your ballot will need to be mailed out of town. The U.S. Postal Service recommends allowing up to 7 days for mail delivery. To ensure you receive your ballot with enough time to mail it back, you should apply 2-3 weeks before Election Day.

Returning your Ballot

There are several options for returning your ballot. You may return your ballot by:

• Mailing it back using the envelope provided; or
• Hand-delivering your ballot to the Office of the Town Clerk (your local election office); or
• Dropping your ballot off during early voting hours; or
• Using the ballot drop box at the lower Ryder St. entrance to Town Hall.

For the May 9, 2023 Town Election, your ballot must reach your local election office by 7 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted. Ballots that arrive after that time – even if they are postmarked on or before Election Day – will not be counted.

Voting in Person

You can still vote in person if you’ve applied to vote by mail. You can vote at an early voting location or your polling place on Election Day.

You can’t vote in person if your ballot has been accepted by your local election office. You can’t take your ballot back or vote again.

Absentee Ballot Eligibility

To qualify for an absentee ballot, you must:

• Be away from your city/town on Election Day; or
• Have a disability that keeps you from voting at your polling place; or
• Have a religious belief that prevents you from voting at your polling place on Election Day

Absentee voters use the same ballots as early voters and have the same deadlines for returning their ballots. Most voters who qualify for an absentee ballot can choose instead to apply for an early Vote by Mail ballot. There are some times that an absentee ballot application is needed. You should fill out an absentee ballot application if:

• You are a U.S. citizen residing overseas; or
• You are on active military duty; or
• You are currently incarcerated for a reason other than a felony conviction; or
• You are requesting an emergency absentee ballot due to hospitalization.

Emergency Absentee Ballots

If you have been admitted to a healthcare facility within 1 week of the election, you may use the absentee ballot application to designate someone of your choice to deliver a ballot to you. The person you designate to deliver your ballot will need to bring the signed application to your local election office, pick up your absentee ballot, bring it to you, and return it for you by the close of polls on Election Day. Emergency ballots may be requested up until the close of polls.

Military & Overseas Voters

If you are a U.S citizen residing out of the country or on active military duty, you may use the Federal Post Card Application or the Massachusetts Absentee Ballot Application to request your ballot. More information is available on our page for Voting for Military & Overseas Citizens.

See voter information to determine your voter status in Provincetown.