EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) – Local election offices work to get the polls ready for voters for the midterm elections.

Politicians across the Commonwealth spent the weekend last-minute campaigning. But those running for office aren’t the only ones feeling the bustling energy of election season. With the addition of no excuses needed for mail-in voting, election offices are working hard to get ballots processed.

“We sent 3,700 mail-in ballot applications and gotten back like 2,700, so the volume is unbelievable that the clerk’s office deals with because we have to record every piece of that information and file it by street and precinct.” Jeanne Quaglietti, Town Clerk East Longmeadow

Mail-in ballots can be received by election offices until November 12th, as long as they’re postmarked by Election Day, Tuesday, November 8th. For those unable to make it to the polls, absentee ballots need to be requested by Monday, November 7th.

Early voting ended last week, and in East Longmeadow, roughly 5 percent of voters participated.
On Election Day, the polls open at 7 a.m. and will remain open until 8 p.m. which means election staff will be working diligently all day long to make sure the process runs smoothly.

“At 5:30 tomorrow [Tuesday] morning I’ll be bringing over the ballots and voting machines and getting ready to go. We need to be publicly open by 6:30 a.m. for observation by the public.” Jeanne Quaglietti, Town Clerk East Longmeadow

The deadline to register to vote in this year’s midterm was October 29th. Most local communities have polling locations listed online.