Brookline Patch 2012 Election Guide

The goal of this guide is to bring you, in one place, all the essential information you need to vote in Brookline Tuesday:

Voting Info

• Sample Ballot: The sample ballot is available on the Town of Brookline 
• Polling locations: See the list of Town of Brookline Polling Locations:

Precinct 1 – Wheelock College, 43 Hawes Street, (Monmouth Street Entrance)
Precinct 2 – Coolidge Corner Branch Library, 31 Pleasant Street
Precinct 3 – Theresa Morse Apartments, 90 Longwood Avenue
Precinct 4 – Town Hall, Room 103, 333 Washington Street
Precinct 5 – (New) Lincoln School, 19 Kennard Road
Precinct 6 – BHS Schluntz Gymnasium, 115 Greenough Street
Precinct 7 – Arthur A. O'Shea House, 61 Park Street
Precinct 8 – Devotion School Gymnasium, Stedman Street Entrance
Precinct 9 – Senior Center, 93 Winchester Street
Precinct 10 – John W. Kickham Apartments, 190 Harvard Street
Precinct 11 – Driscoll School, New Gymnasium, Washington Street Entrance
Precinct 12 – Runkle School Gymnasium, 50 Druce Street (Front Entrance)
Precinct 13 – Runkle School Gymnasium, 50 Druce Street (Front Entrance)
Precinct 14 – Heath School Gymnasium, 100 Eliot Street
Precinct 15 – Fire Station #6, 962 Hammond Street
Precinct 16 – Putterham Branch Library, 959 West Roxbury Parkway

Note: Precincts 12 and 13 are back in the Runkle School gym. You can use the Google Voting widget or visit www.wheredoivotema.com to verify your polling location.

• Absentee ballots:The time to vote absentee expired at noon on Monday, Nov. 5.
• Voter Registration: the last day to register to vote was Oct. 17.

Races

Local

• Norfolk Clerk of Courts - Walter Timilty, who was running unopposed in the primaries.  
• Norfolk County Commissioners - John Gillis and Francis O'Brien, both of whom were running unopposed in the primaries.
• Register of Deeds, Norfolk - William O'Donnell, who was running unopposed in the primaries.  

State

• State Senator – Cynthia Stone Creem, who ran unopposed in the primaries.
• State Representatives – Michael Moran (representing Precinct 1 in Brookline), Jeffrey Sanchez (Pct 5) Frank Smizik (Pcts 2-4, 6-13), Edward Coppinger (Pct 14-16). All of whom were running unopposed in the primaries. 
• Governor's Council - District 3 - Incumbent Marilyn Devaney, a Watertown Democrat, will face Tom Sheff, a Newton Independent. There has been quite a bit of conversation with the candidates in Patch's Local Voices blog section--check it out!

National

• U.S. Congress - Fourth District - As one of the region's political hot spots, neighboring Newton is a focal point for this year's Fourth Congressional District race. The seat is open this year as Newton Congressman Barney Frank announced his retirement late last year. This year, Democrat Joe Kennedy III who lives in Brookline will face off against Norfolk Republican Sean Bielat. 
• U.S. Senate - It started out as a race with many candidates, but the U.S. Senate race has come down to just two names: Republican incumbentScott Brown and Democratic Challenger Elizabeth Warren.
• U.S. President - Incumbent Barack Obama, a Democrat, faces Republican challenger Mitt Romney, Green Party Candidate Jill Stein and Libertarian Candidate Gary Johnson.

Ballot Issues

Question 1: Availability of Motor Vehicle Repair Information : This law would require all car manufacturers to provide — on an equitable fair-market value subscription basis — all diagnostic and repair information for model years beginning in 2015 to owners or an owner’s designated in-state independent repair facility (not affiliated with a manufacturer or its authorized dealers). The law would also make available for purchase information for model years 2002 through 2014.

Question 2: Prescribing Medication to End Life: This law "would allow a physician licensed in Massachusetts to prescribe medication, at a terminally ill patient’s request, to end that patient’s life." The act would require that patients are mentally capable of making this decision and orally communicate it to a doctor on two occasions 15 days apart. Participation by a doctor or health care facility would be voluntary.

Question 3: Medical Use of Marijuana: This law "would eliminate state criminal and civil penalties for the medical use of marijuana by qualifying patients." It would also allow patients to possess a 60-day supply of marijuana and would establish at least one in each county but no more than 35 "treatment centers" throughout the state in 2013.