Polls are open in Massachusetts as election day is officially here, even though voting has been going on for weeks in what is shaping up to be a historic election.
In addition to the presidential and congressional races, there are several key races at the state and local level, as well as two ballot questions. Voting will be different this year thanks to rules approved to expand early and mail-in voting in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
You can check your voting status on the Secretary of State's website, where you can also find your polling place.
Find out what's happening in Lexingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
There are several ways residents can vote:
Mail-In Voting
Ballots can be returned by mail or returned by hand to the clerk's office. They can also be returned to the drop boxes in your town.
Find out what's happening in Lexingtonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Mail-in ballots need to be postmarked by Nov. 3 and returned to the local election office no later than Nov. 6.
Voting on Election Day
Polls in Massachusetts are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. You can also use the Secretary of State's website to find your polling place.
Key Races
The following are the key contested races that will be on the ballot:
President/Vice President
Joe Biden/Kamala Harris (Democrat)
Donald Trump/Mike Pence (Republican) - Incumbent
U.S. Senate
Edward Markey (Democrat) - Incumbent
Kevin O'Connor (Republican)
Andre Gray (Green)
Frederick Mayock (Independent)
Ballot Questions
Question 1: "Right To Repair" Vehicle Access Requirement Initiative
Yes: A yes vote would require carmakers to expand access to mechanical data for all cars sold in Massachusetts beginning with model year 2022.
No: A no vote leaves the 2013 right-to-repair law unchanged.
Question 2: Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative
Yes: A yes vote favors adopting a system gives voters the option of ranking candidates on their ballot in order of preference, as opposed to selecting just one. And if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of first-choice votes, the candidate with the least first-choice votes is eliminated, and the voters who preferred that candidate have their votes reallocated based on their second choices. Then the ballots are recounted and the process is repeated until one candidate breaks the 50 percent threshold.
No: A no vote keeps the current system in place.
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