By John Lynds
The City of Boston’s Election Department this week released the times, dates and locations of the early voting sites in East Boston for the upcoming Presidential Election.
In Eastie registered voters can head to the polls on Monday, October 24 and cast their votes at the Orient Heights Yacht Club, 61 Bayswater St. from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Early voting will also be held on Sunday, October 29 at the Heritage Apartments, 209 Sumner St. from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Boston election officials also launched a “Vote Early Boston” website to provides voters with information about the City of Boston’s new early voting initiative.
“Ensuring all Boston voters are able to vote conveniently, and on their own schedule, is paramount to ensuring voter turnout,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh in a statement. “Voting is core to our democracy, and I encourage Boston voters to take advantage of all the resources the City provides during this election season.”
City Councilor Sal LaMattina said early voting will help ensure residents with limited access to the polls on election day more time to vote.
“We have a lot of elderly residents, young professionals, parents and students that sometimes find it hard to vote on Election Day whether it’s work, school, running around dropping their children off the various activities,” said LaMattina. “People have very busy lives these days and this will allow voters in my District an extra two days to head to polls and cast their vote in this very important election.”
LaMattina added that voters may also request an early voting ballot by mail, and may return them in person at City Hall or by mail. Unlike Absentee Voting, an explanation is no longer needed to vote early. Any Boston voter who wishes to vote early may.
“East Boston residents can also vote at City Hall during the early voting period,” said LaMattina.
City Hall will be Boston’s main early voting site, with voting daily during normal business hours and will also be open on five evenings for early voting.
City Hall early voting will kick off on Monday, October 24 and end on Friday, November 4. The polls will be open Monday through Friday from 9 p.m. to 5 p.m. The five evenings that the polls will be open until 8 p.m. will be October 24, October 26, October 28, October 31 and November 2.
For a full schedule, voters are encouraged to visit the “Vote Early Boston” webpage.