Tomorrow is the general election, during which voters will get to weigh in on who is elected for senator, governor, various legislators who represent Lexington, and more.
Voters will also get to vote “yes” or “no” on several ballot questions.
Who is on the ballot:
US Senate
- Edward J. Markey, Democratic
- John Deaton, Republican
- Shiva Ayyadurai, Independent
- Joe Tache, Socialism And Liberation
Governor and Lieutenant Governor
- Healey and Driscoll, Democratic
- Minogue and Oliver, Republican
Shawn Oliver, who was running for lieutenant governor, suspended his campaign on Oct. 18 after being arrested on charges of operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, a marked lanes violation, and speeding. But, ballots were printed before Oliver suspended his campaign. If voters want to vote for Minogue, they must fill in the joint Minogue-Oliver bubble normally. Voters must not make individual modifications to the ballots. Attempting to cross out Oliver’s name or writing in an alternative lieutenant governor candidate on the joint line will completely disqualify and invalidate the vote for Minogue.
- James and Kittredge, Independent
Attorney General
- Andrea Joy Campbell, Democratic
- Michael C. Walsh, Republican
Secretary of State
- William Francis Galvin, Democratic
- Anne R. Brensley, Republican
Treasurer
- Deborah B. Goldberg, Democratic
- Lizabeth Dionne, Republican
Auditor
- Diana Dizoglio, Democratic
- Al Ozonoff, Libertarian
Representative in Congress
Councillor
- Mara Dolan, Democratic
Senator in General Court (for Lexington Precincts 1, 2, 4, 5, 7)
- Cindy F. Friedman, Democratic
Senator in General Court (for Lexington Precincts 3, 8, 9)
- Michael J. Barrett, Democratic
Senator in General Court (for Lexington Precinct 6)
- Kenneth Ira Gordon, Democratic
Representative in General Court
- Michelle Ciccolo, Democratic
District Attorney
Register of Probate
- Tara E. Decristofaro, Democratic
- Tara Martorella, Justice For All
The state-wide questions on the Ballot:
Question 1: Expanding the public records law
This question asks voters whether Massachusetts should extend the public records law to cover the Legislature and governor’s office.
A “yes” vote would make most records held by the Legislature and the Office of the Governor public records under the Massachusetts Public Records Law.
A “no” vote would make no change to the Massachusetts Public Records Law.
Question 2: Union for public defenders
This question asks whether workers with the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS) — which offers legal representation to criminal defendants who cannot afford a lawyer — should be able to collectively bargain.
A “yes” vote would specify that the Committee for Public Counsel Services employees may form a union to collectively bargain with their employer.
A “no” vote would make no change to the law governing labor relations for Committee for Public Counsel Service employees.
Question 3: All-party primaries
This question asks whether Massachusetts should replace the existing partisan primary election system with a single “all-party primary” in which all candidates appear on the same ballot and the top two vote-getters advance, regardless of their party affiliation, to the November general election.
A “yes” vote would eliminate separate party primaries for state elections and require a single primary in which all candidates appear on one ballot, voters could vote for any candidate, and the top two candidates would advance to the general election.
A “no” vote would make no change to the laws governing primary elections.
Question 4: Election Day voter registration
This question asks whether prospective voters should be able to register and cast a ballot during the same trip to the polls on Election Day.
A “yes” vote would permit eligible citizens to register to vote or to update their voter registration address at their polling place on Election Day.
A “no” vote would make no change to the laws governing voter registration.
Question 5: Changing the state tax cap
This question asks whether the formula for calculating the limit on state tax collections should be altered, increasing the likelihood that Massachusetts owes money back to taxpayers at the end of a fiscal year.
A “yes” vote would change the limit on state revenue collection, tying it to prior year collections plus average wage and salary growth, and provide for a rebate of revenue exceeding that limit.
A “no” vote would make no change in the law relative to state revenue collection.
Question 6: Conservation funding
This ballot measure asks whether money collected from the sales tax of sporting goods purchases should be directed to a state fund for conservation activities like acquiring land, bolstering resilience against storms, and expanding public access to outdoor recreation.
A “yes” vote would create a fund that could be utilized for natural resource conservation that would receive some state taxes collected on the sale and use of sporting goods and recreational vehicles, and the use of golf courses.
A “no” vote would not create this natural resource conservation fund or change how sales and use taxes are spent.
This question asks voters if the state should relax zoning regulations for single-family homes in areas served by public water and sewer systems, streamlining the permitting process to build on smaller lot sizes.
A “yes” vote would allow single-family homes to be built on lots of 5,000 square feet or more in residential areas, subject to reasonable local regulation of certain aspects of those homes.
A “no” vote would make no change to the law relative to building single-family homes.
Question 8: Recreational marijuana
This question asks voters whether to repeal the law that legalized the sale and use of recreational marijuana, and whether to create civil penalties for the possession of one to two ounces of marijuana.
A “yes” vote would prohibit the legalization, regulation, and taxation of the retail sale of adult recreational use marijuana, and change the penalties for possession of marijuana.
A “no” vote would make no change to the law relative to marijuana.
This veto referendum asks voters to decide whether to keep or repeal a 2024 state law creating an array of new firearms regulations. In this case, backers of the repeal are pushing for a “no” vote to reject the current law and opponents are pushing for a “yes” vote to keep it in place.
A “yes” vote would keep in place the law, which increases the regulation of firearms, including ghost guns, machine guns, and assault-style weapons.
A “no” vote would repeal this law.
Two additional non-binding questions for Lexington precincts 1-5 and 7-9:
Question 10: Single-payer healthcare system
This question asks voters to instruct their state rep. in their district to support and vote for legislation that establishes a single-payer healthcare system, including the freedom to choose doctors and other health care professionals, facilities, and services, and that would eliminate the role of insurance companies in health care by creating a publicly administered insurance trust fund.
A “yes” vote means you want your state representative to support creating a government-run, single-payer universal healthcare system in Massachusetts that eliminates private health insurance.
A “no” vote means you oppose advising your representative to support such a system, signaling that you prefer to maintain the current healthcare system or pursue different reforms.
Question 11: Reduce control of legislators’ extra pay
This question asks voters to instruct their state rep. to vote in favor of legislation or rules to reduce the House Speaker’s and Senate President’s control over state legislators’ stipends (extra pay) and to provide stipends only to legislators who do significant extra work that is transparent and accountable to the public.
A “yes” vote means you want your state rep. to support reducing the House Speaker’s and Senate President’s control over state legislators’ extra pay.
A “no” vote means you do not want your state rep. to support reducing the House Speaker’s and Senate President’s control over state legislators’ extra pay.
Additional information:
Check the town’s “Polling & Voting” Locations page if you are unsure what your precinct is.
Polls will be open tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.