MA 2024 State Primary Election Guide: Who's Running, Voting Hours

MASSACHUSETTS — While the eyes of a nation will be largely fixed on the Nov. 5 presidential election for the next two months, Massachusetts voters will have a chance to cast their ballots for some local, regional and both state and federal representative races in the state primary election on Sept. 3.

To help you brush up on all the races before polls open Tuesday, we've put together a guide to the people and things on the ballot, and what you need to know to cast a ballot.

This guide does not cover local races in Massachusetts this year. Voters in individual districts across the state will be deciding local state House and Senate races, plus races for Governor's Council, Clerk of Courts, Register of Deeds and other municipal offices in this year's cycle.

Voting Times, Places

• Polls open statewide at 7 a.m. Tuesday and close at 8 p.m.
• Find your polling place here
• Check if you're registered to vote here

Voting By Mail?

If you're voting by mail and have already submitted your ballot — either by mail, drop box, clerk's office or early voting site — then you should be all set. You can check if your ballot has been counted here. But if you're waiting until Election Day, your best bet is to drop your ballot either in a box (those close at 8 p.m.) or at your clerk's office. Putting them in the mail on Tuesday is likely too late, and you can't drop the ballots off at polling sites.

Early voting also began in cities and towns across the state on Aug. 24 and will wrap up in most communities on Aug. 30.

Who and what is on the ballot?

The ballot is admittedly a thin one in many communities with the majority of state representative, state senator and federal legislator elections uncontested at the primary level. Some of the candidates who are unopposed within their own party will meet general election opposition, although a large percentage will not.

One race with some intrigue in the primary is the Republican race to challenge U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren in November.

Robert Antonellis, of Medford, Quincy City Councilor Ian Cain and former U.S. Attorney John Deaton are vying to face off against Warren.

There is also a Republican race in U.S. District 8 to challenge U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch between Robert Burke, James Govatsos and Daniel Kelly.

U.S. District 9 Rep. Bill Keating will face a November ballot challenge from Dan Sullivan but both primaries are uncontested.

None of the other seven U.S. Reps. will be challenged by a candidate on the ballot in November.

Check back with your Patch for statewide election results after the polls close on Sept. 3.