Massachusetts voters face a packed ballot Tuesday, with nine statewide questions—the most to appear on a Bay State ballot since 1918—alongside high-profile races for governor, U.S. Senate and all nine seats in the U.S. House. Here’s what to know before you vote.
U.S. Senate race
After a bruising primary, Sen. Ed Markey is seeking a third term in Tuesday’s general election against Republican attorney John Deaton and two other challengers.
Deaton, who fell short in his challenge against Sen. Elizabeth Warren two years ago, said he believed that the experience from his previous campaign improved his chances this time around.
Markey survived contested party primaries in 2020 and again this year. This time, the 80-year-old incumbent promised that, if he wins in November, the next term would be his last.
“This is going to be my last term,” Markey said. “And I’m going to make it count.”
“I’m not running because Ed’s too old and he’s been there too long,” Deaton said. “But my ideas on solving problems are just better than his.”
Gubernatorial race
Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, is running for a second term. She’s being challenged by Mike Minogue, a Republican former biotech executive, and an independent candidate.
During their final debate, hosted by WCVB and a consortium of partners, the topic of conversation repeatedly turned to affordability.
Healey argued that high prices are a direct result of the war with Iran and tried to link Minogue to President Donald Trump’s policies.
Minogue blamed high energy costs on Healey, arguing that she stopped a natural gas pipeline project while she was attorney general. He said that he would incorporate natural gas and nuclear energy into his energy strategy and argued that wind energy is too expensive to deserve a state investment.
Ballot questions
The nine questions tie the record for the most ever to appear on Bay State ballots since the 1918 amendment to the state constitution that created the procedure.
Topics for the ballot questions this year range from the workings of government and elections to whether state laws about firearms and marijuana should be repealed.
U.S. House
Democrats are seeking to defend all nine of the state’s seats in the U.S. House as the party seeks to gain control of the chamber in this midterm election.
The state’s eight Democratic incumbents – Rep. Richard Neal, Rep. James McGovern, Rep. Lori Trahan, Rep. Jake Auchincloss, Rep. Katherine Clark, Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Rep. Stephen Lynch – are all running for reelection. Clark, McGovern and Pressley are unopposed.
Only one of the state’s nine seats in the U.S. House is open. In that District 6 race, Democrat Dan Koh faces Republican Micah Quinney Jones.
Koh, who worked in the Biden White House and was Chief of Staff to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, said his first priority in office would be investigating “corruption” in the Trump administration.
Jones, a U.S. Army veteran and attorney, said his first priority would be preventing members of Congress from trading individual stocks.
Other races on the ballot
- Attorney General
- Secretary of State
- Treasurer
- Auditor
- Governor’s Councilor
- State Senator
- State Representative
- District Attorney
- Register of Probate
- County Commissioner (certain counties only)
- County Treasurer (certain counties only)
- Sheriff (Franklin County – to fill vacancy)
- Additional local offices (vary by community)
Where to vote
Polling places will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
To find your polling place, enter your street address into THIS TOOL from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office.
Who can vote
There is no same-day registration for voters in Massachusetts, although one of the questions on the ballot could change that.
Voters are required to register 10 days before an election. In this case, the deadline was 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 24.
Those who requested a mail-in ballot can still vote in person if:
- You applied to vote by mail, but never returned your ballot
- You mailed your ballot back, but it hasn’t reached your local election office
- Your ballot was received by your local election office, but it was rejected
Polls close at 8 p.m., but anyone already in line before the deadline will be allowed to vote. Tabulation of ballots begins only after polls close.
