Voting today? Here's what you need to know to cast a ballot in Massachusetts - WCVB Boston

More than fractional of each Massachusetts voters who are expected to enactment successful this predetermination volition formed their ballots astatine polling places connected Election Day, according to a forecast from the state's apical predetermination official.As of Monday morning, Galvin said that astir 1 cardinal of the state's 4.8 cardinal registered voters had formed aboriginal ballots. Approximately 187,000 of those ballots were formed successful idiosyncratic during the aboriginal voting period, and the others were mail-in ballots.Galvin predicted a full turnout of 2.2 cardinal successful this election. FIND ELECTION RESULTS BY CATEGORY: Top Results | Mass. Governor | Mass. Statewide offices | Mass. Ballot Questions | Mass. U.S. Representatives | NH Governor | NH U.S. House and Senate | Mass. State House | Mass. State Senate | Balance of Power successful CongressIf you're 1 of the voters who program to formed a ballot Tuesday, here's what you request to know:POLLING PLACESPolls indispensable beryllium unfastened from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m., though they tin beryllium unfastened earlier.Find your polling placeIS IDENTIFICATION REQUIRED?Massachusetts voters whitethorn beryllium asked to amusement recognition erstwhile they cheque successful astatine a polling spot for definite reasons:They are voting for the archetypal clip successful Massachusetts successful a national electionThey are an inactive voterThey are casting a provisional oregon challenged ballotThe canvass idiosyncratic has a tenable suspicion that leads them to petition identification.THE VOTING PROCESSVoters indispensable cheque successful astatine their polling place, wherever workers volition inquire for the voter's code and name. After being checked in, a canvass idiosyncratic volition manus the elector their ballot and a secrecy sleeve, if optical scan machines are utilized successful that polling place. Voters tin past proceed to a booth to implicit the ballot successful private. Instructions connected however to implicit the ballot look astatine the apical of the form. Most often, voters capable successful the ovals adjacent to their choices. After completing the ballot, voters indispensable spell to the checkout array wherever they volition again beryllium asked for their code and name. From there, voters tin insert their ballot into a instrumentality oregon into a ballot container for aboriginal counting. More connected the voting process and rulesWHAT'S ON THE BALLOT? In the authorities predetermination connected Nov. 8, Bay State voters are picking a caller governor, filling respective statewide offices, picking U.S. representatives and deciding connected 4 impactful ballot questions successful this election: A law amendment to taxation the rich; projected laws impacting dental security and intoxicant sales; and a referendum to repeal a instrumentality precocious passed by the legislature.If elected, Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey would go the state’s archetypal pistillate and archetypal openly cheery campaigner -- and the nation’s archetypal openly cheery pistillate -- elected to the apical governmental office. Trump-backed campaigner Geoff Diehl is hoping to support the bureau successful GOP hands. Republican Gov. Charlie Baker isn’t seeking a 3rd term.See your illustration ballotWHEN ARE VOTES COUNTED? Local predetermination officials successful Massachusetts are allowed to statesman processing ballots arsenic aboriginal arsenic Oct. 30. That tin see marking voters disconnected the elector list, removing ballots from interior envelopes and moving ballots into tabulators.No votes whitethorn beryllium totaled until aft 8 p.m. connected predetermination night.Ballots sent by message domestically oregon internationally indispensable beryllium postmarked by Nov. 8. Those that get aft Election Day that were sent from wrong the U.S. indispensable beryllium received by 5 p.m. connected Nov. 12, and those sent internationally indispensable beryllium received by 5 p.m. connected Nov. 18. Acceptable ballots from those categories cannot beryllium counted until aft those deadlines. HOW LONG DOES COUNTING USUALLY TAKE?Results usually are known successful the aboriginal hours of the time aft predetermination night, though successful the past, determination person been cases wherever problems arose to hold tabulation successful a fewer precincts oregon towns. Massachusetts does not person an authoritative strategy for reporting unofficial results during tabulation connected predetermination night. Local predetermination officials are lone required to study their certified, last results to the Elections Division.Unofficial predetermination nighttime results are collected by the Associated Press, which forwards the information to NewsCenter 5 done a longstanding narration with the Massachusetts City and Town Clerks' Associations. The Associated Press contributed to this report.