Early voting begins Oct. 17
Early voting begins on Oct. 17. File photo
Early voting begins on Oct. 17. File photo
You can hit the polls before Election Day. Early voting will begin on Saturday, Oct. 17. Here’s what you need to know before early voting begins.
The ballot is longer than normal due to there being nine ballot questions. There are three pages across two sheets of paper — one double-sided, one single-sided. Voters must return both sheets when submitting their ballots.
Residents will be voting in major statewide elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Ed Markey faces a challenge from Republican candidate and lawyer John Deaton.
Democratic Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll each seek a second term. They are running against a Republican ticket of former healthcare executive Mike Minogue for governor and New Bedford City Councilor Shawn Oliver for lieutenant governor.
Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Andrea Campbell of Dartmouth faces Republican candidate Michael C. Walsh of Lynnfield.
Democratic U.S. Representative Bill Keating of Bourne will run against Republican Mattapoisett Select Board member Tyler Macallister.
Incumbent Republican state Representative John Gaskey of Carver will face Democratic Carver Select Board Member Sarah Hewins for the Second Plymouth District seat.
Republican State Senator Kelly Dooner will not face a challenger.
There are nine separate ballot questions this year. You can read the Secretary of State’s voter guide with arguments for and against each ballot question at www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/research-and-statistics/2026-information-for-voters/guide.htm.
All in-person early voting will take place at Town Hall, 54 Marion Road. Early voting will be available on Saturday, Oct. 17, Monday, Oct. 19 through Thursday, Oct. 22, Saturday, Oct. 24 and Monday, Oct. 26 through Thursday, Oct. 29. Polls will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
Early voting can also be done with a mail-in ballot. Mail ballots can be requested up until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Try to request your ballot as soon as possible if you plan on voting this way. The U.S. Postal Service says it could take up to seven days for ballots to be delivered.
To return your ballot, you can mail it in the provided envelope or drop it off in person at your election office, early voting locations or a drop box outside of Town Hall.
You cannot bring mail-in ballots to a polling place on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The deadline to register to vote in Massachusetts is Saturday, Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. You can register online at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/. To check your voter registration status, go to https://www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx.
