Early voting for municipal elections now underway, everything you need to know

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) - Early voting in western Massachusetts is officially underway for next week’s municipal elections. If you’re looking to avoid those lines on election day, the time to vote is now.

Several cities and towns are holding elections next Tuesday. In West Springfield, early voting is taking place Monday October 27 through Friday, October 31. Business hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the West Springfield Public Library.

Otto Frizzell, the West Springfield City Clerk, said that this opportunity provides residents with a chance to vote and participate in the November 4 election at their own convenience: “The main pro is probably it fits your schedule, granted its business hours, 8-4:30, but anytime this week Monday through Friday you can fit it in your schedule and come out and vote, it’s not just set to Tuesday, election day while the polls are open, and people definitely like that convenience.”

Frizzell added that as of Monday afternoon, the polling location already saw over 170 voters come and cast their ballot showing how popular the opportunity is.

Another community that’s featuring early voting this year is Amherst. They also have the option to vote Monday through Friday this week at their town hall. The hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day except for Thursday, which has a couple extra hours for voters to come in until 7:00 at night.

Whether you’re interested in early voting or heading to the polls on election day, the date for registration has already passed so if you’re a new voter of any kind, you’ll have to wait until next year.

For all the details on how to register to vote or which locations offer early voting, you can click HERE.