Massachusetts Voter File
How to get the official Massachusetts voter list from the state, what it costs, who qualifies, and how to turn the file into a canvass once it arrives.
At a glance
- Estimated fee
- Ask the state
- Who can request
- The statewide file is not a public record. It is available to state party committees, statewide candidate committees, state ballot question committees, and others the Secretary of the Commonwealth designates by regulation.
- Activate can request?
- No — restricted
- Registered voters (estimate)
- About 4.9 million
- Verified against
- sec.state.ma.us — September 25, 2026
Massachusetts restricts direct access
Massachusetts gives voter lists to candidates free of charge. You request them from each city or town clerk in your district — state law (M.G.L. c. 51 §§ 55 and 6) entitles political candidates and committees to the voting list and street list at no cost, and it helps to mention the statute when you ask. Find your clerks at sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/voter-resources/find-my-local-election-office.htm, collect the files, then bring them into Activate with the Upload Your List button below. (The separate statewide file is limited to statewide campaigns and state parties, so the clerk route is the standard path for district and local races.) Plan for one request per municipality you cover: a town or ward race is a single clerk, but a state senate or congressional district spans many, so start early and expect to chase a few.
Legal basis: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 51, §§ 47C, 55, 6, 57; 950 CMR 58.00
What is the Massachusetts voter file?
The Massachusetts voter file is the official statewide list of registered voters maintained by the state election office. It typically includes voter names, addresses, party registration (where applicable), precinct, district, and voting history. Campaigns use it to organize canvassing and mail programs. The Massachusetts public voter file doesn't include phone numbers, so to call or text voters you will need a list that has them.
How to request the Massachusetts voter file
Once you have the file, you can import it into a political canvassing tool like Activate to organize volunteers and track outreach.
- 1Confirm you are a qualifying requestor in Massachusetts (The statewide file is not a public record. It is available to state party committees, statewide candidate committees, state ballot question committees, and others the Secretary of the Commonwealth designates by regulation.).
- 2Visit the official Massachusetts election office request page.
- 3Massachusetts gives voter lists to candidates free of charge. You request them from each city or town clerk in your district — state law (M.G.L. c. 51 §§ 55 and 6) entitles political candidates and committees to the voting list and street list at no cost, and it helps to mention the statute when you ask. Find your clerks at sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/voter-resources/find-my-local-election-office.htm, collect the files, then bring them into Activate with the Upload Your List button below. (The separate statewide file is limited to statewide campaigns and state parties, so the clerk route is the standard path for district and local races.) Plan for one request per municipality you cover: a town or ward race is a single clerk, but a state senate or congressional district spans many, so start early and expect to chase a few.
- 4Receive the file and upload it securely to Activate for your campaign.
When the Massachusetts file arrives, bring it into Activate
If you already have a voter file you are authorized to use, create a campaign and upload it through the campaign's voter import. Review the field mapping and import results before assigning voters to volunteers.
- Upload CSV, Excel, delimited text, or a ZIP containing supported CSV and Excel files.
- The importer detects the delimiter (comma, tab, semicolon or pipe) rather than assuming commas, and reads the UTF-16 exports some state systems still produce.
- Every value is kept as text, so a ZIP of 02134 stays 02134 and a long voter ID stays intact.
- The first 5,000 records in an import are stored free. The cost step shows the record count and the total in Credits before you confirm.
Core canvassing is free, and each import includes the first 5,000 usable records. AI-assisted preparation and additional records use Credits; SMS requires purchased Credits.
This state's voter file is not currently available in Activate. Before ordering, confirm that you qualify to request and use it, and check the election office's current fee and delivery instructions. Permission for Activate to request a file does not mean a file has been ordered or is ready to use.
Eligibility and restrictions
Eligible requestors: The statewide file is not a public record. It is available to state party committees, statewide candidate committees, state ballot question committees, and others the Secretary of the Commonwealth designates by regulation.
Legal basis: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 51, §§ 47C, 55, 6, 57; 950 CMR 58.00
Cost and turnaround
We show a fee only when the state's own official text states it, so ask the Massachusetts election office for the current cost. Turnaround varies by state and request volume. Delivery may be instant download, email, or physical media depending on the state. Check the official Massachusetts election office page for the most current timeline.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Massachusetts voter file cost?
We show a fee only when the state's own official text states it. Ask the Massachusetts election office for the current cost; the official link is on this page.
Who can request the Massachusetts voter file?
The statewide file is not a public record. It is available to state party committees, statewide candidate committees, state ballot question committees, and others the Secretary of the Commonwealth designates by regulation.
Can I download the Massachusetts voter file online?
Some requestors may be able to request or download the file through the official Massachusetts election office portal.
How long does it take to get the Massachusetts voter file?
Turnaround varies by state and request volume. Check the official Massachusetts election office page for current processing times.
What is in the Massachusetts voter file?
State voter files typically include voter name, address, party registration (where applicable), precinct, district, and voting history fields. Exact fields vary by state and are controlled by state law.
How many voters are in the Massachusetts voter file?
Our state register estimates about 4.9 million registered voters in Massachusetts, so a statewide file runs to roughly that many records. A district, county or city list is a fraction of it.
Can I import the Massachusetts voter file into Activate?
Yes, if you are authorized to use it. Create a campaign and upload the file through the campaign's voter import. Upload CSV, Excel, delimited text, or a ZIP containing supported CSV and Excel files. The importer detects the delimiter (comma, tab, semicolon or pipe) rather than assuming commas, and reads the UTF-16 exports some state systems still produce. Every value is kept as text, so a ZIP of 02134 stays 02134 and a long voter ID stays intact. The first 5,000 records in an import are stored free. The cost step shows the record count and the total in Credits before you confirm.
Field guides
How to Get the Massachusetts Voter File: Free, From Every Town Clerk
Massachusetts keeps its statewide registry closed to all but 5 categories of requestor and entitles candidates and committees to municipal voting lists and street lists free of charge under M.G.L. c. 51; this covers which file you qualify for, the statutes worth citing in the request, and how to run the many-clerk collection a district campaign needs.
How to Get Your State's Voter File and Put It to Work in the Field
State voter files run from free to $5,000, and the fee has nothing to do with what you get. This walks through which office keeps the list, why almost every published figure is still an estimate, what actually arrives in the file, and what secure handling costs once you import it.
Bring Your Own List: Make a Voter File Import-Ready Before You Upload
A pre-upload readiness pass for a bring-your-own voter list: what a usable file looks like, where to get one when there is none, and the checks for provenance, minimization, normalization, deduplication, suppression, access, validation, and retention that decide whether the canvass built on it holds up.
Ready to use the Massachusetts voter file?
Canvassing is free on Activate for local campaigns — routes, door logging, and phone banking, plus the first 5,000 records of every import. Import your voter list, invite volunteers, and start reaching voters today.
This page is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Voter file access laws and fees change. Confirm the current procedure with the official state election office before submitting a request.