You have a lot of decisions to make. We’re here to help.
Here’s what to know about the state-level choices on the Massachusetts general election ballot — whether you vote by mail by returning your application before Nov. 1, vote early in-person Oct. 22 to Nov. 4 or vote in person on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8. Meet the candidates, learn about the jobs they’re running for and get to know the questions on the ballot.
Who are the statewide candidates?
Governor
Massachusetts’ governor oversees executive agencies like the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and statewide education office, deploys the state’s National Guard and signs or vetoes legislation from state lawmakers — though those vetoes can be overridden by the Legislature.
Republican Gov. Charlie Baker is not running for a third term. Here’s who’s running to replace him.
Republican Geoff Diehl was a state representative from Whitman from 2011-2018, during which he helped lead the campaign to end automatic gas tax hikes. He has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump. He has positioned himself as a candidate wary of government overreach and has taken conservative positions on issues like abortion and COVID-19 vaccine mandates.
Democrat Maura Healey has been attorney general since 2014. In that role, she made headlines by suing the Sackler family, owners of Oxycontin manufacturer Purdue Pharma. Before becoming attorney general, she was head of the AG office’s civil rights division and had an important role in pushing for marriage equality for LGBTQ couples. Healey would be the first woman elected to serve as Massachusetts’ governor and could become the first open lesbian in the country to be a governor.
Lieutenant governor
The lieutenant governor only has one clear duty: chairing the Governor’s Council, the body that vets judicial nominations. Other duties are largely delegated by the governor. The LG, currently Karyn Polito, also serves as acting governor if the governor leaves the job, or whenever they leave the state.
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Republican Leah Cole Allen was a state representative from 2013-2015. She has been GOP governor candidate Diehl’s unofficial running mate since she entered the race. She decided to run because she was personally frustrated with COVID-19 vaccine mandates after she claimed to have been fired from her nursing job for not getting vaccinated while pregnant. Her campaign site, which has since been morphed with Diehl’s, spells out several policies, such as pushing for greater parental involvement in public education, being “tough on crime” and fiscal responsibility.
Democrat Kim Driscoll is currently serving her fifth term as mayor of Salem. She argued in a GBH primary debate that her 16 years of experience as mayor would help her as LG ensure that the state government is more in tune with municipal systems, and that she brings key executive experience to the job. Since the primary, Driscoll and Healey have made joint campaign stops, showing a united Democratic ticket.
Attorney general
The state’s top prosecutor can bring lawsuits on behalf of Massachusetts residents. There are two candidates vying to replace Healey.
Democrat Andrea Campbell is backed by outgoing Attorney General Healey. The former Boston City Council president previously ran for mayor of the city, and often talks about her upbringing in public housing and her family’s experience with the criminal justice system. She is campaigning on promoting equality and justice. She would be the state’s first Black woman to hold any statewide office.
Republican Jay McMahon is a trial attorney from Cape Cod who previously ran for attorney general in 2018. He has positioned himself as a “tough-on-crime” candidate and has publicly opposed the ballot question that would open driver’s licenses to immigrants regardless of their legal status.
Secretary of the commonwealth
More often known as the secretary of state, the position holds a wide range of responsibilities, such as maintaining public records and distributing regulations. But the position is best known for being the elections administrator.
Republican Rayla Campbell worked as a dental assistant and has a career in insurance and claims management, and she previously ran as a write-in congressional candidate in 2020. Campbell has said she opposes early voting and vote-by-mail. She grabbed headlines for delivering a convention speech in May that fellow Republicans said was “not appropriate” when she made comments about sexual acts as well as disrupting a drag queen story hour. She is the first-ever Black woman candidate for secretary of state.
Democrat Bill Galvin has been Massachusetts’ secretary of state since 1995. The former state representative has argued that an experienced elections manager is crucial ahead of a 2024 presidential election that is likely to be contested following the false claims of election stealing in 2020. In recent years, he’s become a vocal proponent of same-day voter registration. If Galvin wins, he will be set to serve an eighth term in the job, the longest tenure since the position was created.
State auditor
The state auditor is charged with ensuring transparency and accountability in government. Here’s who’s running to replace current Auditor Suzanne Bump.
Republican Anthony Amore is the director of security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and has previously worked for the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Homeland Security. He has described himself as a moderate who wants to be a check on Democrats. He is the only statewide candidate endorsed by Gov. Charlie Baker.
Democrat Diana DiZoglio is a state senator from Methuen who has represented the 1st Essex District since 2019, after serving three terms as a state representative. She has campaigned as a populist candidate who is unafraid of challenging the Democratic Party from the inside to ensure accountability. In 2018, she accused then-House Speaker Bob DeLeo of covering up sexual harassment. She has also won the support of many Democratic centrists.
State treasurer
The state treasurer manages the state’s assets and investments and chairs many state boards, such as the state lottery commission and the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust.
Democrat Deb Goldberg is the only major-party candidate running for treasurer. She’s sailing toward a third term after first taking office in January 2015. She served as the chair of Brookline’s Select Board before running for statewide office. Goldberg previously contemplated a congressional run ahead of the 2020 election.
What’s at stake with the ballot questions?
Question 1 would amend the state’s constitution to introduce a new 4% surtax on anyone’s income over $1 million. The money would be used for education and transportation projects, subject to the Legislature’s approval. A “yes” vote approves of the new tax, and a “no” vote keeps things the way they are now.
Question 2 would introduce new regulations on dental insurance, requiring that at least 83 cents of every dollar an insurer gets in premiums be spent on patient care, rather than administrative expenses. A “yes” vote would introduce the new regulations and a “no” vote would make no changes.
Question 3 would overhaul the state’s licensing for alcohol sales by introducing some new rules for stores, including doubling the number of liquor licenses a single retailer or company can hold, changing how fines are calculated for violations and allowing out-of-state identification to be used to authorize the purchase of alcohol. A “yes” vote would allow those changes and others to take place, and a “no” vote would keep liquor sale laws the way they are now.
Question 4 would allow the new law to take effect that lets immigrants apply for a Massachusetts driver’s license, regardless of whether they are living in the country legally. A “yes” vote would uphold the new law, and a “no” vote would repeal the law, meaning immigrants living in the country illegally could not get Massachusetts driver’s licenses.
What else will be on my ballot?
You may also vote on candidates based on your specific address and district, including congressional representative, governor’s council, state senator, sheriff and district attorney.
