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Can you vote with a felony in Massachusetts?

The short answer

After prison.

In Massachusetts, people lose the right to vote only while in prison for a felony. It comes back on release, including on parole or probation. Some other convictions can affect it too; the details are below.

The exception: People convicted of violating a law relating to corrupt practices in elections are removed from the voter rolls for three years.1,2,3,6

In Massachusetts, people cannot register or vote while they are incarcerated in a correctional facility because of a felony conviction. The right returns on release with no waiting period, and the person fills out a new voter registration form; people incarcerated for any other reason can register and vote. The exception is a conviction for violating a law on corrupt practices in elections, which removes the person from the voter rolls for three years.1,2,4,5

Checked October 22, 2026 against 7 sources, starting with Massachusetts law, then by a second reader.

  1. In prison for a felonyCan't vote2,4,5
  2. On paroleCan vote4
  3. On probationCan vote4
  4. Sentence completeCan vote after registering again2,3,4
Check with Massachusetts's election office

Before you register

Your state or county election office can confirm your own status, for free. Voting while ineligible can carry criminal penalties, so if anything about your case is unclear, ask them first. The general election is November 3, 2026; registration deadlines are on vote.gov.

How the right comes back

Automatically

The felony bar applies only while a person is 'incarcerated in a correctional facility due to a felony conviction' (Mass. Const. amend. art. III, as amended by art. CXX; G.L. c. 51, § 1). The Secretary of the Commonwealth's advisory says that on release no further action is needed and there is no waiting period, but the person must complete a new voter registration form upon becoming eligible. A person convicted of violating a law relating to corrupt practices in elections is struck from the voter rolls for three years (G.L. c. 55, § 42).2,3,4

When the right doesn't come back on its own

No conviction causes a permanent loss. The constitution (amend. art. III, as amended by art. XL) and G.L. c. 51, § 1 also exclude people 'temporarily or permanently disqualified by law because of corrupt practices in respect to elections.' The law that does this is G.L. c. 55, § 42: when a person is convicted of 'a violation of any provision of law relating to corrupt practices in elections' (or a candidate's election is voided on an election petition for a corrupt practice under § 33), the court sends the record to the person's city or town clerk and the person's name is struck from the voter rolls 'for a period of three years.'1,2,3,6

Fines, fees and restitution

Not required

The right is lost only during felony incarceration, and the Secretary's advisory says no further action is needed after release beyond a new registration form; payment is not a condition.4

Registering again

Yes

Once the right is back, Massachusetts requires a new voter registration before voting.4

Misdemeanors and jail

Being incarcerated for a misdemeanor does not affect the right to vote: the Secretary's advisory says only people currently incarcerated for a felony conviction are prohibited from registering or voting, and a person incarcerated for any other reason can register and vote. The three-year removal for corrupt practices in elections (G.L. c. 55, § 42) applies to a conviction under any such law, without limiting it to felonies; many campaign-finance violations in G.L. c. 55 carry up to one year in jail.3,4,6

The Secretary's advisory says a person incarcerated for a reason other than a felony conviction can register and vote, by registering by mail or applying for an absentee ballot as a specially qualified voter; people held before trial have not been convicted, so the felony bar does not apply to them.4

Convictions from another state or federal court

Not stated in the official sources opened. G.L. c. 51, § 1 refers to incarceration 'due to a felony conviction' without saying whether federal or out-of-state convictions count.2

The law

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This page explains Massachusetts's general rules from its law and election office. It isn't legal advice, and a case can turn on the details of a sentence. The election office can confirm your status.

Spot something out of date? Tell us at contact@secondchanceindex.com.

Cite this page

Second Chance Index, "Can you vote with a felony in Massachusetts?" https://secondchanceindex.com/voting-rights/massachusetts, checked October 22, 2026.

Sources

Each source was opened and checked on October 22, 2026.

  1. Mass. Const. amend. art. III (as amended by arts. XL and CXX)
  2. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 51, § 1
  3. Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 55, § 42
  4. Election Advisory #22-09: Regarding Voting While IncarceratedSecretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Elections Division
  5. Registering to VoteSecretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Elections Division
  6. General Laws ch. 55, § 2 (penalty of up to one year in jail), and §§ 32-33 (corrupt practices by candidates; election petitions)Massachusetts Legislature
  7. 2026 State Election Ballot QuestionsSecretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Elections Division