2026 Voting Guides

Massachusetts voting guide

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Here’s what you need to vote in Massachusetts.

Check Your Registration

Even if you voted last time, check that you’re still registered. Check your registration

Register by:
  • Online, by mail, or in person: Sat., Oct. 24

Key Dates

  • Early in-person voting begins
  • Last day to register (online, by mail postmark, or in person)
  • Mail ballot application must arrive by 5 p.m.
  • Early in-person voting ends
  • New citizens naturalized after the deadline can register in person until 4 p.m.
  • Election Day (7 a.m.–8 p.m.); mail ballots dropped off due by 8 p.m.
  • Last day for mailed ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 to arrive

Your Voting Checklist

  • Vote early in person from Sat., Oct. 17 to Fri., Oct. 30.
  • Vote by mail. Any voter can vote by mail.
    Request a ballot by Tues., Oct. 27. Request a mail ballot
    Return it by Tues., Nov. 3.
    Problem with your ballot? If your ballot was turned down, you can still vote in person during early voting or on Election Day. Track your ballot
  • Vote on Election Day, Tues., Nov. 3, 7 a.m.–8 p.m. Find your polling place
  • Bring the right ID. Most voters don't need to show ID. If you are asked, any paper with your name and address works, like a utility bill or lease. See the official ID rules
  • Review your sample ballot before you go.
  • Have a past conviction?
    • You can't vote while you are in prison for a felony.
    • Your right to vote comes back when you get out, but you need to register again.
  • Make a plan and bring three people. Make a plan

What’s on Your Ballot

These are the biggest races in Massachusetts this year. Please note, we do not endorse any candidates.

Governor

  • Maura Healey Democratic, incumbent · Campaign site
  • Governor of Massachusetts since 2023; former state attorney general.
  • Mike Minogue Republican · Campaign site
  • Former CEO of medical device company Abiomed; U.S. Army veteran.

Stance on key issues

Policing, prisons & public safety

Maura Healey Democratic, incumbent

Points to state grants for police, prosecutors and community groups targeting violent crime and illegal guns and drug trafficking. Source

Mike Minogue Republican

Supports ending cashless bail, mandatory jail time for violence against police, and protecting qualified immunity for police. Source

Immigration

Maura Healey Democratic, incumbent

Says she has 'stood up for families and for public safety' in response to ICE enforcement tactics. Source

Mike Minogue Republican

Says he would end 'sanctuary state' policies and prioritize removing immigrants who commit violent crimes or sell drugs, while valuing immigrants who work and build businesses. Source

Abortion & health care

Maura Healey Democratic, incumbent

Signed a state 'Shield Law' protecting abortion patients and providers, stockpiled mifepristone, and capped some health care deductibles and co-pays. Source

Mike Minogue Republican

Proposes a 'Patients First' plan: more primary and community care, lower-cost outpatient clinics, generic drugs through pharmacy benefit managers, and community mental health care. Source

Economy, taxes & cost of living

Maura Healey Democratic, incumbent

Says she cut taxes for the first time in more than 20 years and protected SNAP from federal cuts. Source

Mike Minogue Republican

Supports cutting taxes and spending, a gas tax holiday when gas tops $4, and returning surplus revenue to taxpayers (supports Question 5). Source

Housing

Maura Healey Democratic, incumbent

Signed the $5 billion Affordable Homes Act, banned renters' broker fees, and set a goal of building 100,000 new homes. Source

Mike Minogue Republican

Would stop enforcing the MBTA Communities zoning law and give towns more state money if they speed up permits for single-family homes. Source

Schools

Maura Healey Democratic, incumbent

Points to expanded pre-K seats, more school funding, free school meals and tuition-free community college. Source

Mike Minogue Republican

Supports opting into the federal scholarship tax credit for private-school scholarships and expanding charter, technical and vocational schools. Source

Civil rights, DEI & LGBTQ+ rights

Maura Healey Democratic, incumbent

No public position found.

Mike Minogue Republican

Says high school girls should have 'fair and safe' competition in sports. Source

Climate & environmental justice

Maura Healey Democratic, incumbent

Signed a law to speed up clean energy projects and created a disaster resilience grant program for flooding and extreme weather. Source

Mike Minogue Republican

Would cancel the state's 'Net Zero' climate mandate, cut state energy fees on utility bills, and build natural gas pipelines and consider small nuclear plants. Source

U.S. Senate

  • John Deaton Republican · Campaign site
  • Attorney and former Marine Corps captain; 2024 Republican nominee for U.S. Senate.
  • Ed Markey Democratic, incumbent · Campaign site
  • U.S. senator since 2013; served in the U.S. House from 1976 to 2013.
  • Joe Tache Party for Socialism and Liberation · Campaign site
  • Boston youth worker and community organizer.

Stance on key issues

Voting rights & elections

John Deaton Republican

Supports free voter ID and says he rejects efforts that make voting harder for eligible citizens; supports term limits for Congress. Source

Ed Markey Democratic, incumbent

No public position found.

Joe Tache Party for Socialism and Liberation

Supports guaranteed voting rights for all citizens, including people in prison. Source

Policing, prisons & public safety

John Deaton Republican

Supports federal limits on license-plate camera systems like Flock, including warrants to search stored records. Source

Ed Markey Democratic, incumbent

Lead sponsor of bills to end qualified immunity for police; supports stronger gun laws, including on 'ghost guns' and gun dealers. Source

Joe Tache Party for Socialism and Liberation

Supports prosecuting police officers who kill civilians and ending mass incarceration. Source

Immigration

John Deaton Republican

Supports securing the border and changing asylum rules, opposes both 'blanket amnesty and mass deportation,' and supports a path to citizenship for DACA recipients. Source

Ed Markey Democratic, incumbent

Has called for abolishing ICE, supports stronger standards for immigration detention, and supports a path to legal residency for Dreamers. Source

Joe Tache Party for Socialism and Liberation

Supports abolishing ICE and a path to citizenship for everyone living in the U.S. Source

Abortion & health care

John Deaton Republican

Supports writing Roe v. Wade protections into federal law and says he would vote against a national abortion ban; wants to break up large insurers and pharmacy benefit managers. Source

Ed Markey Democratic, incumbent

Co-sponsors Medicare for All and supports guaranteeing the right to contraception and protecting abortion rights nationwide. Source

Joe Tache Party for Socialism and Liberation

Supports free health care for all, including free reproductive care and abortion. Source

Economy, taxes & cost of living

John Deaton Republican

Says Social Security benefits should not be taxed; supports raising the income cap on Social Security payroll taxes. Source

Ed Markey Democratic, incumbent

Co-sponsors taxes on billionaires and ultra-millionaires; supports a bigger Child Tax Credit and keeping SNAP and WIC funded. Source

Joe Tache Party for Socialism and Liberation

Supports turning the 100 largest corporations into public property and a 100% tax on assets above $10 million. Source

Workers & wages

John Deaton Republican

No public position found.

Ed Markey Democratic, incumbent

Co-sponsors bills to raise the federal minimum wage and the PRO Act to protect the right to organize unions; supports guaranteed paid sick leave. Source

Joe Tache Party for Socialism and Liberation

Supports a guaranteed, well-paid union job and job training for everyone. Source

Housing

John Deaton Republican

Supports faster permits for new housing and opposes green-energy building mandates he says raise home prices. Source

Ed Markey Democratic, incumbent

Supports funding to build and preserve affordable homes, more rental help, and programs to prevent evictions and homelessness. Source

Joe Tache Party for Socialism and Liberation

Supports capping rent at 10% of income. Source

Schools

John Deaton Republican

Supports capping student loans, ending compound interest on them, and making colleges share the risk when students default. Source

Ed Markey Democratic, incumbent

Supports stable federal funding for public schools, more affordable child care, and lowering student debt. Source

Joe Tache Party for Socialism and Liberation

No public position found.

Civil rights, DEI & LGBTQ+ rights

John Deaton Republican

No public position found.

Ed Markey Democratic, incumbent

Supports federal protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ people; lead sponsor of a bill on transgender health care access. Source

Joe Tache Party for Socialism and Liberation

Supports bringing back and expanding affirmative action and guaranteeing gender-affirming health care. Source

Climate & environmental justice

John Deaton Republican

Opposes the Green New Deal; supports an 'all-of-the-above' energy plan with solar, wind and new nuclear power. Source

Ed Markey Democratic, incumbent

Supports ending fossil fuel subsidies, environmental justice reviews for major energy projects, and creating an Office of Environmental Justice at the Justice Department. Source

Joe Tache Party for Socialism and Liberation

Supports taking over fossil fuel infrastructure, shutting it down, and building a public renewable energy grid. Source

Ballot measures

  • Question 1: Public records access. Would make the governor's office and the state legislature follow the state public records law, with some exceptions for sensitive information.
    Yes means the governor's office and the legislature must share their records with the public, like other state agencies.
    No means no change. The governor's office and the legislature stay outside the public records law.
  • Question 2: Union rights for public defender agency workers. Would let employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, the state's public defender agency, form a union and bargain collectively.
    Yes means public defender agency employees could unionize and bargain over pay and working conditions.
    No means no change. These employees would still not have a legal right to bargain collectively.
  • Question 3: All-party (top-two) primaries. Would replace party primaries for state offices with one primary open to all candidates and voters. The top two vote-getters, of any party, would go on to the general election.
    Yes means all candidates run in one primary, and the top two advance to November, even if they are from the same party.
    No means no change. Each party keeps its own primary.
  • Question 4: Election Day voter registration. Would let eligible people register and vote on the same day, including on Election Day, instead of registering 10 days before.
    Yes means you could register and vote on the same day at your polling place in future elections.
    No means no change. You must register at least 10 days before an election.
  • Question 5: Limit on state tax collections and surplus refunds. Would change how the state's tax revenue limit is calculated, counting money from the 2022 tax on incomes over $1 million, and return more surplus money to taxpayers.
    Yes means A tighter limit on state tax collections and more money returned to taxpayers when the limit is passed.
    No means no change to the current revenue limit and refund rules.
  • Question 6: Fund to protect water and nature. Would set aside state sales tax money from sporting goods for a fund to buy land for conservation, clean water and recreation. The legislature would still decide whether to spend it.
    Yes means A new fund for land conservation and water quality, paid for with sales tax on sporting goods.
    No means no new dedicated fund.
  • Question 7: Single-family homes on small lots. Would stop cities and towns (except Boston) from requiring lots bigger than 5,000 square feet for single-family homes in areas with water and sewer, and from requiring special permits for them.
    Yes means single-family homes could be built on smaller lots in more places.
    No means no change. Towns keep setting their own minimum lot sizes.
  • Question 8: Ending legal recreational marijuana sales. Would repeal the 2016 law that allowed recreational marijuana stores. Adults 21 and older could still have up to one ounce.
    Yes means recreational marijuana stores would close. Adults could still possess small amounts.
    No means no change. Recreational marijuana sales stay legal and regulated.
  • Question 9: Keep or repeal the 2024 gun law. A vote on the 2024 law that banned ghost guns, expanded the red flag law, expanded the assault weapon definition, banned guns in schools, government buildings and polling places (except police), and added licensing rules. The law is already in effect.
    Yes means keep the 2024 gun law.
    No means repeal the 2024 gun law.

Protect the Vote

  • Apply to be a poll worker and support free and fair elections.
  • Watch the count. Take a training to learn how to observe the polls.
  • If anyone tries to stop you from voting or something at your polling place seems wrong:
    • Call 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
    • Call 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682) (Spanish)
    • Call 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683) (Asian languages)
    • Call 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287) (Arabic)
    • Call Secretary of the Commonwealth Elections Division: 1-800-462-VOTE (8683)
    • If you’re in line when polls close, stay in line. You can still vote.
    • If your name isn’t on the list, ask for a provisional ballot.
    • Know your rights

Organizations to Support

  • MassVOTE. Nonpartisan group working to boost voter registration, education and turnout in historically underrepresented communities across Massachusetts.
  • Lawyers for Civil Rights. Boston legal nonprofit for communities of color and immigrants; works on voting rights and Election Protection.

Anti-Racism Daily will never tell you who to vote for and does not endorse candidates. Information here has been pulled from the internet and may be inaccurate. Please fact-check your sources. If you spot a mistake, please let us know so we can fix it.

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