UOCAVA and Specially Qualified Voters

In addition to registered voters, certain voters may vote by absentee ballot. Under federal law, a UOCAVA voter is a person who is living outside of the United States, who is at least 18 years old and whose last residence in the United States was Massachusetts. These persons are eligible to vote in all elections in the community where they last resided before leaving the United States. This includes military personnel.

Also, under Massachusetts law, you may be a specially qualified voter if you are otherwise eligible to be a registered voter and your present domicile, a place where you live and plan to remain, is Massachusetts and you are out of town because you are:

• Absent from the Commonwealth
• Active service of the armed forces or merchant marine of the United States or a spouse or dependent of such a person
• Confined in a correctional facility or jail and not convicted of a felony

Go to the Secretary of the Commonwealth's webpage for more information: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elemil/milidx.htm.