diff --git a/dev/merge_livy_pr.py b/dev/merge_livy_pr.py
index 741ec2ee2..85ce74170 100755
--- a/dev/merge_livy_pr.py
+++ b/dev/merge_livy_pr.py
@@ -39,7 +39,15 @@
 import re
 import subprocess
 import sys
-import urllib2
+
+if sys.version_info[0] < 3:
+    import urllib2
+    from urllib2 import HTTPError
+    input_prompt_fn = raw_input
+else:
+    import urllib.request as urllib2
+    from urllib.error import HTTPError
+    input_prompt_fn = input
 
 try:
     import jira.client
@@ -78,7 +86,7 @@ def get_json(url):
         if GITHUB_OAUTH_KEY:
             request.add_header('Authorization', 'token %s' % GITHUB_OAUTH_KEY)
         return json.load(urllib2.urlopen(request))
-    except urllib2.HTTPError as e:
+    except HTTPError as e:
         if "X-RateLimit-Remaining" in e.headers and e.headers["X-RateLimit-Remaining"] == '0':
             print("Exceeded the GitHub API rate limit; see the instructions in " +
                   "dev/merge_livy_pr.py to configure an OAuth token for making authenticated " +
@@ -97,13 +105,17 @@ def fail(msg):
 def run_cmd(cmd):
     print(cmd)
     if isinstance(cmd, list):
-        return subprocess.check_output(cmd)
+        out_bytes = subprocess.check_output(cmd)
+    else:
+        out_bytes = subprocess.check_output(cmd.split(" "))
+    if sys.version_info[0] > 2:
+        return out_bytes.decode()
     else:
-        return subprocess.check_output(cmd.split(" "))
+        return out_bytes
 
 
 def continue_maybe(prompt):
-    result = raw_input("\n%s (y/n): " % prompt)
+    result = input_prompt_fn("\n%s (y/n): " % prompt)
     if result.lower() != "y":
         fail("Okay, exiting")
 
@@ -141,7 +153,7 @@ def merge_pr(pr_num, target_ref, title, body, pr_repo_desc):
                              '--pretty=format:%an <%ae>']).split("\n")
     distinct_authors = sorted(set(commit_authors),
                               key=lambda x: commit_authors.count(x), reverse=True)
-    primary_author = raw_input(
+    primary_author = input_prompt_fn(
         "Enter primary author in the format of \"name <email>\" [%s]: " %
         distinct_authors[0])
     if primary_author == "":
@@ -191,7 +203,7 @@ def merge_pr(pr_num, target_ref, title, body, pr_repo_desc):
 
 
 def cherry_pick(pr_num, merge_hash, default_branch):
-    pick_ref = raw_input("Enter a branch name [%s]: " % default_branch)
+    pick_ref = input_prompt_fn("Enter a branch name [%s]: " % default_branch)
     if pick_ref == "":
         pick_ref = default_branch
 
@@ -238,7 +250,7 @@ def resolve_jira_issue(merge_branches, comment, default_jira_id=""):
     asf_jira = jira.client.JIRA({'server': JIRA_API_BASE},
                                 basic_auth=(JIRA_USERNAME, JIRA_PASSWORD))
 
-    jira_id = raw_input("Enter a JIRA id [%s]: " % default_jira_id)
+    jira_id = input_prompt_fn("Enter a JIRA id [%s]: " % default_jira_id)
     if jira_id == "":
         jira_id = default_jira_id
 
@@ -280,7 +292,8 @@ def resolve_jira_issue(merge_branches, comment, default_jira_id=""):
                 default_fix_versions = filter(lambda x: x != v, default_fix_versions)
     default_fix_versions = ",".join(default_fix_versions)
 
-    fix_versions = raw_input("Enter comma-separated fix version(s) [%s]: " % default_fix_versions)
+    fix_versions = input_prompt_fn(
+        "Enter comma-separated fix version(s) [%s]: " % default_fix_versions)
     if fix_versions == "":
         fix_versions = default_fix_versions
     fix_versions = fix_versions.replace(" ", "").split(",")
@@ -370,7 +383,7 @@ def main():
     # Assumes branch names can be sorted lexicographically
     latest_branch = sorted(branch_names, reverse=True)[0]
 
-    pr_num = raw_input("Which pull request would you like to merge? (e.g. 34): ")
+    pr_num = input_prompt_fn("Which pull request would you like to merge? (e.g. 34): ")
     pr = get_json("%s/pulls/%s" % (GITHUB_API_BASE, pr_num))
     pr_events = get_json("%s/issues/%s/events" % (GITHUB_API_BASE, pr_num))
 
@@ -382,7 +395,7 @@ def main():
         print("I've re-written the title as follows to match the standard format:")
         print("Original: %s" % pr["title"])
         print("Modified: %s" % modified_title)
-        result = raw_input("Would you like to use the modified title? (y/n): ")
+        result = input_prompt_fn("Would you like to use the modified title? (y/n): ")
         if result.lower() == "y":
             title = modified_title
             print("Using modified title:")
@@ -433,7 +446,7 @@ def main():
     merge_hash = merge_pr(pr_num, target_ref, title, body, pr_repo_desc)
 
     pick_prompt = "Would you like to pick %s into another branch?" % merge_hash
-    while raw_input("\n%s (y/n): " % pick_prompt).lower() == "y":
+    while input_prompt_fn("\n%s (y/n): " % pick_prompt).lower() == "y":
         merged_refs = merged_refs + [cherry_pick(pr_num, merge_hash, latest_branch)]
 
     if JIRA_IMPORTED:
@@ -449,6 +462,7 @@ def main():
         print("Could not find jira-python library. Run 'sudo pip install jira' to install.")
         print("Exiting without trying to close the associated JIRA.")
 
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     import doctest
     (failure_count, test_count) = doctest.testmod()