Massachusetts sets record with nine binding ballot questions

Nine binding statewide ballot questions will appear on ballots in Massachusetts on Tuesday, the highest number the state has ever asked voters to consider. This record count sits alongside races for U.S. Senator, governor, attorney general, and other executive and legislative seats.

Polling places will generally open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m., though some towns may start as early as 5:45 a.m. A voter remains eligible to cast a ballot if they are in line by the 8 p.m. deadline. Early voting concluded on October 30, and the registration deadline passed on Saturday, October 24. In the 2022 midterm election, approximately 2.4 million votes were cast for the state governor.

The U.S. Department of Justice is deploying roughly 1,000 election monitors across all 50 states for the day. In Massachusetts, federal observers are expected in Lowell and Boston. The agency is also sending monitors to Manchester and Nashua in neighboring New Hampshire. These observers are present amid concerns that their visibility might discourage some citizens from voting.

Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin has encouraged voters to use secure ballot drop boxes rather than mailing their ballots. While state law allows mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive until November 6, Galvin noted that drop boxes guarantee timely delivery. "If you still have your mail-in ballot, you can bring it to a drop box or your local election office until 8 p.m. on Election Day," Galvin said. Nearly every city and town has at least one dedicated box, and voters must use the box in the community where they are registered.

Voters typically do not need to show identification unless it is their first time voting in the state. They will check in by providing their name and address to a worker. Each address is assigned to a specific precinct, and an online lookup tool is available for those unsure of their location. Results will be released by 351 separate local jurisdictions, with larger towns likely to release mixed-method results together throughout the night.

Massachusetts does not have automatic recounts. Candidates for statewide or districtwide offices can request one if the margin is no more than 0.5% of the total vote. Local candidates in towns or wards may request recounts via a signature petition. The Elections Division can be reached at 1-800-462-VOTE or by email at elections@sec.state.ma.us.