Voting In Malden: Polls Open

MALDEN, MA — Election Day is here in Malden, 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, plus 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.

There are several ways residents can vote:

Mail-In Voting

Ballots can be returned by mail, emailed or faxed to the Elections Department.

Ballots may also be hand delivered to drop boxes located in front of City Hall at 215 Pleasant Street, the Police Station at 800 Eastern Avenue, and at the Senior Center Auditorium at 7 Washington Street.

Mail-in ballots need to be postmarked by Nov. 3 and returned to the local election office no later than Nov. 6.

Regular voting

If you wish to vote in the General Election in person, please visit your normal poling location on Tuesday, November 3rd 2020 between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

You can view sample Malden ballots on the Elections website if you want a preview before heading out to vote.

The following are the key contested races that will be on the ballot for Malden voters:

President/Vice President

• Joe Biden/Kamala Harris (Democrat)
• Donald Trump/Mike Pence (Republican) - Incumbent
• Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (Libertarian)
• Howie Hawkins/Angela Walker (Green-Rainbow)

5th Congressional District

• (i) U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark (D)
• Caroline Colarusso (R)

U.S. Senate

• (i) Edward Markey (D)
• Kevin O'Connor (R)

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.

32nd Middlesex Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian, 33rd Middlesex Rep. Steven Ultrino and 35th Middlesex Rep. Paul Donato are all running unopposed, as is 5th Middlesex State Sen. Jason Lewis.