Election 2018: Early voting open; candidates and questions on the ballot

It’s hard to imagine that anyone has been able to forget we have a mid-term election coming up. But you may not have realized that you can cast your votes already.

Starting today, Southborough voters can fill out their ballots at the Town House (17 Common Street) – no need for an absentee excuse. (Though, there are also Absentee ballots available.)

But – I’m not pushing you to rush over. Before you head off to fill in those circles – I want to help you find the information you need. There’s more than the U.S. Senate and the Governor’s seats on the line. If you haven’t been boning up – I suggest taking some time to do that first. 

You have until Friday, November 2nd to cast early ballots (or snag an Absentee one).

To enable voting, the Town Clerk is adding special hours to the regular Town House hours. Now through 11/2, the Clerk’s Office will be open for voting:

• Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays – 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Tuesdays – 8:00 am to 7:00 pm
• Saturday (10/27 only) 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

For the actual day of the election, all three precincts need to head to Trottier Middle School Gym (49 Parkerville Road.) Those hours will be Tuesday, November 6, 6:30 am – 8:00 pm. (Note: You don’t need a license to vote. But bringing one with you will help keep check-in and check-out moving faster.)

Still need to brush up on what who you’re voting for?

Don’t wait until you’re at the polls to try to interpret the long Ballot Questions. (And yes, there is more than one question.) This fall, the three questions relate to:

1. Patient-to-Nurse Staffing Limits
2. Commission on potential amendment to U.S. Constitution on Campaign Financing
3. Gender Identity Discrimination

For the full language and the official explanation for what a Yes/No vote means, click here. For more background – Ballotpedia put together a slew of information about each question (including endorsments, pro/con arguments, and financing). Click here to check that out.

As for who you’re voting for. . . most of you know the big names running for the big offices. But there are a slew of Independent/Third party candidates also listed, plus a lot of regional/local seats. You can preview a sample ballot here. I also put together the list of the 30 candidates running on our ballot below.

You may want to take advantage of this printable checklist from the state. You can fill it out in advance and use as a “cheat sheet” when you head to vote.

U.S. Senator

• Elizabeth Warren (Democrat) – incumbent
• Geoff Diehl (Republican)
• Shiva Ayyadurai (Independent)

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

• Baker and Polito (Republican) – incumbent
• Gonzalez and Palfrey (Democrat)

Attorney General

• Maura Healey (Democrat) – incumbent
• James McMahon, III (Republican)

Secretary of State

• William Francis Galvin (Democrat) – incumbent
• Anthony Amore (Republican)
• Juan Sanchez, Jr (Green-Rainbow)

Treasurer

• Deborah Goldberg (Democrat) – incumbent
• Keiko Orrall (Republican)
• Jamie Guerin (Green-Rainbow)

Auditor

• Suzanne Bump (Democratic) – incumbent
• Helen Brady (Republican)
• Daniel Fishman (Libertarian)
• Edward Stamas (Green-Rainbow)

U.S. Rep in Congress, Fifth District

• Katherine Clark (Democratic) – incumbent
• John Hugo (Republican)

Councillor, Third District

• Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney (Democrat) – incumbent*

Senator in General Court, Middlesex & Worcester District

• James Eldridge (Democratic) – incumbent
• Margaret Busse (Republican)
• Terra Friedrichs (Cooperative Green Economy)

Representative in General Court, 8th Middlesex District

• Carolyn Dykema (Democratic) – incumbent

District Attorney, Middle District

• Joseph Early, Jr (Democratic) – incumbent
• Blake Rubin (Independent)

Clerk of Courts, Worcester County

• Dennis McManus (Democratic)
• Joanne Powell (Republican)

Register of Deeds, Worcester District

• Kate Campanale (Republican)
• Katheryn Toomey (Democratic)

*After the primary, I shared that it appeared that Devaney might not run unopposed. Aaron Hutchins ran a write-in campaign for the Republican ticket and those results took time to process. In the end, he failed to make the 1,000 vote threshhold to run in the general.