Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR’s politics newsletter, Mass. Politics. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Tuesday is Election Day in 55 cities and towns across Massachusetts. It may not be a presidential or even a midterm election year. But there’s still a lot on the line, as Bay Staters from Boston to the Berkshires decide who’s in charge at the local level.
Here’s a quick guide:
Know before you go: Polls open Tuesday at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. (give or take an hour in a handful of communities). You can confirm your polling place here. Head over to our Boston voter’s guide for more details on Election Day voting.
If you got a mail-in ballot and have yet to return it, it’s too late to mail it in. But you have a few options:
Ok, now let’s get to the races to watch:
In Boston: Mayor Michelle Wu is the only mayoral candidate on the ballot, but there are a half dozen contested City Council races. And as loyal readers of this newsletter know, a couple of them are shaping up to be pretty competitive:
Outside of Boston: According to the Massachusetts Municipal Association, there are 33 cities in the state with a mayoral election on the ballot this Tuesday. And you don’t have to travel far outside Boston to find a few open and competitive races.
- Somerville’s incumbent mayor finished third and was eliminated in the September preliminary. Now voters will choose between progressive city councilors to lead the city: Jake Wilson or Willie Burnley Jr. As GBH News reports, the two candidates differ more in style and experience than on policy. But there are some differences when it comes to zoning, homelessness and a local ballot question about Israel.
- Brockton is poised to elect the first Black mayor in the history of the city, where more than three-quarters of the population is non-white The race is between city councilors Moises Rodrigues and Jean Bradley Derenoncourt. The Bay State Banner reports that the finalists’ biggest differences are on a controversial new ordinance against public loitering and camping, as well as the future of the city’s water supply.
- Gloucester Mayor Greg Verga came in second in the September preliminary — nearly 800 votes behind former City Council President Paul Lundberg. The foreboding finish came after a bruising teacher’s strike last fall that included Verga making a not-so-nice gesture at one picketing protester. He said the gesture wasn’t aimed at the teachers, but the handling of the strike continues to be an issue, according to the Gloucester Times.
- Newton will usher in a new leader following Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s decision to retire after eight years. City Council President Marc Laredo, a Democrat, is seen as the favorite against Republican candidate Al Cecchinelli. As the Newton Beacon reports, the election comes at a time of intense debate over schools and housing development in Newton.
- Everett Mayor Carlo DeMaria is facing a high-profile challenge after a year of criticism over allegedly improper bonuses and a no-confidence vote by the city council. One of those councilors, Robert Van Campen, is running against DeMaria on a platform on transparency and accountability. The Boston Globe has a deep dive on the race here.
In western Massachusetts: Several incumbent mayors are also facing challenges outside of the I-495 belt. New England Public Media has a quick roundup breaking down each race and the distinguishing issues here.
Farther down the ballot: There are also some high-stakes city council races outside of Boston. Just look at the state’s two largest cities with “weak mayor” forms of government: Worcester and Cambridge. GBH News reports that Worcester’s council could see significant turnover after a particularly divisive two-year term. And in Cambridge, the 19-candidate race has been dominated by debate over housing and bike lanes, as Cambridge Day reports. Meanwhile in Quincy, allies of the powerful longtime Mayor Thomas Koch are being challenged across the board.
Correction: This story incorrectly stated the number of years that Ruthanne Fuller has served as mayor of Newton. She has served eight years. The post has been updated. We regret the error.
