Massachusetts’ top election official is expecting a record number of Bay Staters to cast ballots on Tuesday, driven by intense interest in the presidential race.
“What we’ve seen is a commitment on the part of not just voters to participate, but also about the integrity of those who run elections in our country,” Secretary of State Bill Galvin, the country’s most senior state elections administrator, told reporters at the State House Monday.
“I may not agree with the policies or procedures of other states. I may not certainly agree with their choice of candidates, but I think I can tell you that the people who administer elections in the United States are people of integrity,” he said. “They’re honest people. And the tallies they present are honest tallies, and I think it’s very important as our country approaches this pivotal election in light of all that’s happened over the last several years, to reaffirm the basic honesty and integrity of those who conduct elections in our country.”
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. statewide on Tuesday, and Galvin said voters who are in line at 8 p.m. will still be able to cast their ballots. Massachusetts does not offer same-day registration, so only people who are already registered will be able to vote.
As of Monday, almost 1.7 million people in Massachusetts — about a third of registered voters — have already cast their ballots, either in person at early voting sites or by mail-in ballot.
To be counted, mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Tuesday and received by local election officials by Friday, Nov. 8.
Galvin said he’s “strongly recommending” at this point that voters who still need to return a mail-in ballot bring them to either a local drop box or take them to their city or town’s election office. Mail-in ballots will not be accepted at polling places.
In all, Galvin said he expects turnout levels here to surpass the record set in the 2020 presidential race, when nearly 3.7 million people cast ballots in Massachusetts. As of August 2024, there were more than 5 million registered voters in the state.
In addition to picking between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, voters here will choose whether to return Sen. Elizabeth Warren to Washington, D.C., for another term or replace her with Republican challenger John Deaton. They’ll also decide the fate of five statewide policy questions, plus additional local-level measures, and vote for members of the Governor’s Council and state Legislature.
Galvin said officials are not aware of any particular security threats involving Massachusetts polling places. State law requires a police officer to be present at each voting location.
“I think the police officers should be a reassurance not just to the voters, but to election workers, everyone who’s participating, because it means that there is a network already in place to make sure if any issue arises, it can be dealt with,” Galvin said.
