The voting systems used in Massachusetts are optical scan and hand-counted paper ballots.
Optical Scan: With this system, you will receive a paper ballot, which you take to a private table or booth. The ballot has the names of the candidates and ballot measures printed on it. With a pen or marker, you fill in a little box or circle next to your choices. When you are finished, you bring the ballot to a tabulator, where poll workers will show you how to insert your ballot. The tabulator checks your ballot and counts the votes at the end of Election Day.
Hand-counted Paper Ballots: Hand-counted paper ballots are one of the oldest ways of voting in America. They are still used in a few small towns on Election Day. When you come to the polling place, you will get a paper ballot from the poll worker. You take it to the voting booth, and use a pen or pencil to mark a box next to your candidate and issue choices. You then drop the marked ballot into a sealed ballot box.
These systems use paper ballots which allow for recounts and post-election audits.
You can learn more about voting systems by checking out the Elections Assistance Commission’s (EAC) resource.
