The Massachusetts primary elections are being held Tuesday, with several big positions in the Bay State up for grabs in 2022. Tuesday's primaries will decide who will be on the ballot come November's general election, as voters choose who they want as their next governor, as well as other high-ranking offices.
"We're hoping that despite the rain, voters will come out," Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin, who is running for reelection, said Tuesday morning. "There are some exciting races statewide. We know that. So far, the indications have been fairly strong. We're also very fortunate we had so many people vote early by mail. We have had well over 400,000 ballots cast by mail already."
Here's what voters need to know in order to cast their ballot on Tuesday.
(See Massachusetts primary election results here after polls close at 8 p.m.)
Where Do I Vote?
A polling place is assigned to each precinct in the Commonwealth. When you registered to vote, you should have gotten a notice that included the polling place assigned to your precinct.
In Massachusetts, towns' polling places are determined by selectmen, and cities' are designated by city council.
If you are voting in person, you must go to your assigned polling location. If you are unsure of where that is, the state has an online tool that allows you to input your address to learn your polling place. You can find that tool here.
What Time Do the Polls Close?
In all state elections and primaries, polling places are required to be open 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
However, towns are allowed to open for voters as early as 5:45 a.m.
Polling locations must allow voters who are in line when polls close at 8 p.m. to cast their ballot.
Who Will Be on My Ballot?
On the ballot this year, there are five major contested statewide races to pay attention to: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state and state auditor. Here's who's on the ballot in each of the primaries for those five races.
Republican Primary
- Governor
- Geoff Diehl
- Chris Doughty
- Lieutenant Governor
- Leah Allen
- Kate Campanale
- Attorney General
- James McMahon III
- Secretary of State
- Rayla Campbell
- Auditor
- Anthony Amore
Democratic Primary
- Governor
- Maura Healey
- Lieutenant Governor
- Kimberley Driscoll
- Tami Gouveia
- Eric Lesser
- Attorney General
- Andrea Campell
- Shannon Liss-Riordan
- Quentin Palfrey
- Secretary of State
- William Galvin
- Tanisha Sullivan
- Auditor
- Christopher Dempsey
- Diana Dizoglio
What About Ballot Questions?
Ballot questions — issues that residents get their say on statewide — are voted on in the November general election, not primaries.
Where Can I See Results?
As election results come in after 8 p.m. Tuesday, you'll be able to see which candidates are winning on our primary election results page, which will have updated tallies.
How Do I Report a Concern?
The state says that voters who have concerns about how their ballot was counted, or other issues in the voting process, can contact the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Elections Division at 1-800-462-VOTE (8683).
