Absentee Ballots

Due to Corona Virus, please visit the 2021 Special Election Voting Information page.

Qualifications for an Absentee Ballot

You may apply for an absentee ballot if you:

  • Will be absent from town on election day, and/or
  • Have a physical disability that prevents you from voting at the polling place and/or
  • Cannot vote at the polls due to religious beliefs

Applications for Ballots

Must be in writing and should include:

  • Name (please include Jr., III, etc. if applicable)
  • Date of birth (not required)
  • Address as registered
  • Precinct (if known)
  • The mailing address for the ballot is different from the registered address
  • The election you are requesting the ballot for or all elections for that calendar year (requests must be made each year)
  • If unenrolled and requesting a ballot for a Primary you must specify which party ballot you wish to receive
  • Your signature (must be original -not photocopied or faxed)

Absentee ballot applications are available at the Town Clerk's office or by printing the application below. You may also make an application by letter or note including the information listed above.

A family member or household member of a person qualified to vote by absentee ballot may apply by using the form below or requesting a form from the Town Clerk's Office, or by sending a letter with the information above plus the requester's name and voting address.

Submitting the Absentee Ballot Application

Mail-in requests for absentee ballots should be sent to:

Town Clerk's Office
26 Court Street
Plymouth, MA 02360

If voting by mail the absentee ballot application or letter of request should be returned as early as possible. Ballots arrive in the Clerk's Office approximately three weeks before an election and are sent out as quickly as possible. The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot is noon the day before the election. Ballots can be returned by mail or hand-delivered to the Town Clerk's Office and must be received by the close of polls on Election Day. Ballots must be returned to the Town Clerk's Office and will not be accepted at the polling location. Hand-delivered ballots must be returned by the voter or a family or household member.

If you would prefer to cast your absentee ballot in person at the Town Clerk's Office you may bring a request with you or fill out an application in the office and vote on the same visit. Ballots arrive in the Clerk's Office approximately three weeks before an election. The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot is noon the day before the election. Ballots cannot be picked up or taken out of the building! They must be mailed or completed in person.

Disabled Voters

As of 2007, Plymouth has AutoMark voting machines at each polling location, which will mark the ballot for the voter. Some of the features of the new machines are:

  • High contrast
  • Braille keypad
  • A sip/puff tube for voters who are not able to use the touch screen or touchpad.
  • An audio function to allow voters with impaired vision to listen to choices.
  • A zoom feature that enables the voter to increase the font size of each race listed on the optical scan ballot.

Anyone who is unable to vote at their polling location due to a permanent disability may file a letter from their doctor stating that they are permanently disabled and unable to vote at the polls. The Clerk's Office will then automatically send out a completed absentee ballot application every January for the voter to sign and return.

If a voter is unable to mark the ballot, they may have someone mark the ballot for them. The helper must print his or her name and the voter's name on the brown envelope, write the reason help was needed, and sign his or her name as the assisting person.