The top headline of the 2024 general election was the nationwide contest between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. But here in Massachusetts, people also cast their votes for who should represent them in the U.S. Senate and on Beacon Hill, as well as have their say on statewide ballot questions, including whether to increase the tipped wage and if the MCAS should remain a requirement for high school graduation.
Below are updates from GBH News reporters from Election Day and as results rolled in.
12:18 p.m., Nov. 6
Question 3 passes, allowing rideshare drivers to unionize
The last of Massachusetts’ five statewide ballot questions has been called. With 53.9% in favor and 46.1% opposed, the Associated Press has called the Question 3 race for the “yes” side.
The passage of Question 3 makes Massachusetts the first state in the nation to allow drivers who work for companies like Uber and Lyft the option to join a union.
“All this does is give them the same rights as every other worker,” Manny Pastreich, president of the union SEIU Local 32BJ, said Tuesday night as the votes were still being counted. “The same right as construction workers or hospital workers or janitors, in giving them the right to form a union. The right for them to stand together with one voice against these multibillion dollar corporations.”
Cletus Awah was also at the election results watch event Tuesday evening, and said over the six years he’s been driving with Uber and Lyft, he’s done about 25,000 rides total. He said he hopes a union will be able to negotiate better working conditions.
“It’ll give me more balance in my life because currently I don’t rest,” Awah said. “I don’t go to church anymore, just because I have to work so many hours to be able to pay my rent. Costs of everything in Massachusetts has skyrocketed, except salaries. ”One of the arguments against the ballot question has been that it could lead to higher prices for riders.
Uber did not formally oppose Question 3, but a spokesperson for the company said in a statement: “In a deeply blue, pro-union state, with millions spent promoting the ballot proposition and not a single dollar opposing, Question 3 just squeaked by. It’s clear that voters have reservations and it’s now incumbent upon the legislature to address their concerns.” — Craig LeMoult, reporter
5:34 a.m., Nov. 6
Donald Trump wins U.S. presidency
Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago, sparked a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, was convicted of felony charges and survived two assassination attempts.
With a win in Wisconsin, Trump cleared the 270 electoral votes needed to clinch the presidency.
The victory validates his bare-knuckle approach to politics. He attacked his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, in deeply personal — often misogynistic and racist — terms as he pushed an apocalyptic picture of a country overrun by violent migrants.
The coarse rhetoric, paired with an image of hypermasculinity, resonated with angry voters — particularly men — in a deeply polarized nation. As president, he’s vowed to pursue an agenda centered on dramatically reshaping the federal government and retribution against his perceived enemies.
3:52 a.m., Nov. 6
Psychedelic substances remain illegal in Mass. as voters say “no” to Question 4
The campaign behind ballot question 4 to legalize psychedelic substances conceded defeat Tuesday night.
In a statement, the campaign said they will continue to fight for people who struggle with mental health and vowed to work with legislators to continue their advocacy for legalization.
Imani Turnbull Brown, who advocates for people of color in psychedelics, said they’ll continue working to bring equity to the industry:
“There’s still a lot of people underground that are doing this work and they’re going to continue to do this work,” Brown said. “So with that being said, we are still going to forge ahead with making sure that people are safe and educated and… they’re just in the know about about these things. So that’s going to happen regardless.”
Brown said regardless of how other efforts move forward, she hopes the leaders of the movement will consider factors like racial history and culture.
“We’re still continuing on with where we want to do, which is education, harm reduction, all of those things for marginalized groups,” she said. “We just want to make sure that people are going to be informed.”
A campaign spokesperson attributed the result to concerns around home grow provisions, which would have allowed people over the age of 21 to grow and consume psychedelics at home.
— Tori Bedford, reporter
3:51 a.m., Nov. 6
MCAS test no longer mandated requirement for Mass. high school grads, AP calls
After more than 20 years, tenth-grade students may no longer need to pass the standardized MCAS test in order to graduate from high school in Massachusetts.
The change comes after voters passed Question 2 by more than 20 percentage points. It leaves Massachusetts as one of the few states without a common graduation standard.
The Massachusetts Teachers Association was behind the ballot campaign. MTA president Max Page said the union’s members, volunteers and their efforts are to thank for the win.
“Think about where it started last summer,” Page said as the votes came in. “And then gathering an unprecedented number of signatures. 130,000 in the fall, another 40,000 in the spring. Incredible, incredible sign of the support. And now we’re seeing it in the way people are voting.”
Page said the measure will go into effect immediately, meaning that the MCAS won’t be a graduation requirement in the spring.
MTA Vice President Deb McCarthy told supporters that the union will fight any intervention by the Legislature to reverse the move.
“We are committed to defend our win and we are not going to let anybody take it away from us,” McCarthy said. “The people have spoken, and we are going to be united, protecting the winning question two.”
The change means that school districts across the state can now set their own criteria for graduation.
— Diane Adame, reporter
Read on with our ballot questions results page.
1:04 a.m, Nov. 6
Tipped wages will stick around in Massachusetts, AP calls
Opponents of a statewide ballot measure to raise minimum wage for tipped workers in Massachusetts have declared victory. With more than 70% of votes counted, the Associated Press called the race for the “no” side at 12:41 a.m. Wednesday.
The proposal would have gradually raised the minimum wage of tipped workers in the commonwealth from the current rate of $6.75 an hour to the regular minimum wage of $15. With the “no” win, the state’s tipped wage will remain $6.75 an hour.
“We keep the power in the hands of individual servers and bartenders who work tirelessly day after day to service guests across the Commonwealth to the best of their abilities,” Nancy Caswell, treasurer of Massachusetts Restaurants United, said in a statement.
Steven Rosario, who has worked in the service industry for half a decade, campaigned for a “yes” vote. Despite the loss, he says their fight isn’t over.
“I mean, we try again,” Rosario said. “We’re not giving up. Even if it’s 10 years, 20 years after, we’re still going to try, and it doesn’t stop here.”
— Jeremy Siegel, reporter
Read on with our ballot questions results page.
12:12 a.m, Nov. 6
Massachusetts state auditor granted new, broader authority with ‘Yes’ on 1 win
Massachusetts voters decidedly asked for more transparency in the state’s notoriously opaque legislative process Tuesday. With more than half of votes counted, the campaign to let the state auditor audit the Legislature led with 71% of the vote late Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press.
Question 1 gives the state auditor — who is currently Diana DiZoglio — the ability to audit the state Legislature. The auditor has the ability to audit every other state entity, but the Legislature has refused to be audited. State Attorney General Andrea Campbell ruled last year that, under current law, DiZoglio can’t audit the Legislature without its consent. So DiZoglio set about to change the law here, and she’s succeeded.
DiZoglio is a former state lawmaker herself, and she campaigned on this issue when she was running for auditor. She addressed supporters Tuesday evening, telling them when they come together, there’s power there.
“Power to demand access, transparency, equity and accountability from our government,” she said. “Power to know how our taxpayer money is being spent by those we elect to represent us. Power to ensure that the sunshine is beaming throughout every hall of state government.” — Craig LeMoult, reporter
Read on with our ballot questions results page.
10:52 p.m., Nov. 5
Republicans keep control in the Granite State
Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte was elected governor of New Hampshire on Tuesday, defeating Democratic former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig to keep the office under Republican control for another two years.
Republican Gov. Chris Sununu’s decision not to seek a fifth two-year term set up on one of the most competitive gubernatorial races in the country, with voters choosing between one candidate trying to jump from local to statewide office and another seeking to bring federal experience to the Statehouse.
Addressing supporters in Salem, Ayotte called her win “a victory for an even brighter future for the greatest state in the nation.”
“I could not be more optimistic about the future of our state,” she said. “I love this state, I love the people of this state, and I know that our best days are ahead of us.” —Holly Ramer, Associated Press
10:30 p.m., Nov. 5
‘Yes on 4’ says no to press
The “Yes on 4” party Tuesday night was closed to the press. That’s unusual for an election night campaign event. This GBH News reporter was asked to leave.
“I don’t know why this is a private event,” Tori Bedford said live on GBH radio. “I mean, obviously, I don’t endorse anyone crashing parties. Don’t be a party crasher.”
From speaking to people at the venue, it was clear that supporters of Question 4 — which would legalize some psychedelics — encompass a range of political views. One through line is that there are a lot of supporters who work in health care, including mental health care and pharmaceuticals. Actor Eliza Dushku and her husband are also there.
Supporters are cautiously optimistic the question will pass. At the same time, they recognize that would be just the first step. The next phase is figuring out how it would actually work throughout the state. — Tori Bedford, reporter
10:11 p.m., Nov. 5
Young voters hurry-up-and-wait for election results at Tufts
Young voters are enjoying free food, swag, games, photo ops and even some cuddles from comfort dogs at the Election Night Extravaganza at Tufts University.
They’re tossing stress balls around a big room with six screens set up to broadcast the major networks. Popular eats here include soft pretzels with cheese and lemonade.
Students tell GBH News they care about this election deeply and are happy to attend the party to help calm some of their nerves.
Leah Scoppa, an 18-year-old Tufts student from Connecticut and Democrat, said: “This generation is a more progressive generation and can help us move forward with this country instead of reverting back to old political views.” — Alexi Cohan, producer
9:59 p.m., Nov. 5
Warren celebrates 3rd term at Boston election party
Sen. Elizabeth Warren thanked a joyful crowd of her supporters gathered at Boston’s SoWa Power Station for sending her back to Washington, D.C., for a third term.
She took the stage to Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and left as blue confetti showered down.
The Cambridge Democrat pledged to fight for more housing and more affordable child care.
Warren was elected Massachusetts’ first female senator 12 years ago, and she projected it could be “a long night and maybe even a long wait” to see if U.S. voters will elect their first female president in Kamala Harris.
“But no matter what happens, we are ready for the work ahead,” she said. — Katie Lannan, reporter
9:49 p.m., Nov. 5
First openly transgender person elected to Congress, AP calls
Democrat Sarah McBride won election to a U.S. House seat representing Delaware on Tuesday.
With her victory over Republican John Whalen III, McBride is poised to become the first openly transgender person to serve in Congress. She was elected to the Delaware state Senate in 2020.
McBride has built a national profile as an LGBTQ+ advocate and raised more than $3 million dollars in campaign contributions, most from out of the state. Whalen, a home builder and retired state trooper, was making his first bid for public office.
The Associated Press declared McBride the winner at 9:43 p.m. EST. — The Associated Press
9:26 p.m., Nov. 5
The most closely watched races in Massachusetts? The five ballot questions.
About 20 supporters of the “Yes On Five” campaign are gathered at Tiki Rock in downtown Boston, hopeful that their measure will pass. It would eliminate a separate “tipped wage” for some workers in Massachusetts.
Among those supporters is state Sen. Lydia Edwards, who said, “everyone should be assured a basic minimum wage.”
Edwards added that the sub-minimum for tipped workers in Mass is “disgusting” and “abhorrent” and should be phased out. — Jeremy Siegel, reporter
8:34 p.m., Nov. 5
A handful of Boston poll sites ran out of ballots; polls closing
At least three polling locations ran out of ballots in Boston, according to the Lawyers for Civil Rights, a legal nonprofit, and residents. Another Course to College School in Hyde Park, the Phineas Bates Elementary School in Roslindale, and Spring Street Apartments in West Roxbury all ran out of ballots, leaving voters in lines for over 90 minutes in some spots.
Boston Police dropped off hundreds of ballots at polling stations in Roslindale and West Roxbury, according to Enrique Pepén, who represents District 5 in Boston’s City Council. Pepén told GBH that he contacted election officials immediately when he heard about the problem and that police responded quickly.
Lawyers for Civil Rights, a nonprofit, called for Secretary of State Bill Galvin to immediately extend voting hours for those precincts and others that had run out of ballots, and make public the details of how the hiccup occurred.
“His office has explicitly told us they will not do that. We have been told that unless we receive a court order that they will not be extending the hours,” said Sophia Hall, deputy litigation director at Lawyers for Civil Rights. Hall said that under Massachusetts voting law, anyone who is in line by 8pm is able to vote.
The secretary of state’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In Roslindale, ballots were depleted around 5 p.m., and weren’t restocked for at least 90 minutes, with voters reportedly leaving in frustration. Jessica Burko says she was in the line to vote in Roslindale at the Bates School around 5:25.
“When we got to the door, there was someone outside that asked our address, which is very unusual. And when we told her our address, she said, ‘Well, you need to wait in this line on the one side because we ran out of ballots.’”
The school has two precincts voting at it, but ballots for one had run out.
“About 45 minutes later, they got 50 ballots. And so we were in that first group for the 50 ballots. And then we got to vote!” Burko said.
Burko said she had never encountered a location that had run out, but everyone remained calm. The school happens to be Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s polling location.
– Sarah Betancourt and Phillip Martin, reporters
8:12 p.m., Nov. 5
AP calls for Warren, Harris in Massachusetts
Elizabeth Warren will be reelected to another six-year term as senator in Massachusetts, besting her Republican challenger John Deaton, Associated Press calls.
Vice President Kamala Harris will also secure Massachusetts’ 11 electoral votes in the presidential election, AP calls. So far, 95 electoral votes have been called by AP for Republican nominee Donald Trump and 35 for Harris. See GBH News’ results page here for more.
The Massachusetts calls came just moments after polls closed at 8 p.m. The only people still able to vote in Massachusetts are those who were in line at 8 p.m. – Hannah Reale
7:25 p.m., Nov. 5
Less than an hour ’til polls close!
Polls close at 8 p.m. Anywhere in Massachusetts, those who are in line to vote by 8 p.m. are legally entitled to cast a ballot. — Hannah Reale
5:30 p.m., Nov. 5
A new American casts her first ballot
One of the great joys for newly naturalized immigrants is the right to vote. Farishta Shams, 29, is a refugee from Afghanistan who cast her ballot for the first time today in Lowell.
Shams, who became a citizen this summer, worked for US aid groups in Afghanistan for many years. Her car was shot at twice by the Taliban, and she fled to the United States on a special immigrant visa in 2019.
Voting “was a powerful and emotional experience for me. I feel like I have reached the moment of full participation in the democratic process. For me, it was not just voting itself,” she said. “It’s like a culmination of the journey.”
Shams said she waited 25 minutes to vote in person, and cast her ballot for Vice President Kamala Harris because “of the ideas she has for supporting younger generations.”
Shams helps fellow refugees as the Resettlement Services Manager in Lowell for International Institute of New England, a local refugee agency. — Sarah Betancourt
3 p.m., Nov. 5
Boston sees its hottest Election Day on record of the 21st century
With anxiety hitting peak levels this Election Day, something else hitting a peak level: The outside temperature.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service predict today to be the warmest Election Day on record in the Commonwealth since the turn of the millennium. Boston has already reached a high of 72 degrees, and records show that it hasn’t been this warm on an election day in Massachusetts since former President Barack Obama first won on Nov. 4, 2008, when temperatures hit 66 degrees.
The coldest day voters stood in line for the polls since 2000 was on Nov. 6, 2012, when meteorologists recorded a low of 31 degrees. — Henry Santoro
2:45 p.m., Nov. 5
In Saugus, voters express fears and cautious optimism
Nicole Goodhue, a teacher who lives in Saugus, voted Tuesday and said she worried about the election’s results.
“I’ve never felt an election have this much weight,” Goodhue said. “I’m anxious to wake up tomorrow morning. I’m anxious to see what happens late at night tonight.”
Goodhue said a number of issues shaped her vote.
“I’m probably one of the most fiscally conservative lesbians, but in this election, it’s about my reproductive rights,” she said. “It’s about human autonomy. It’s about being able to have free will and live in a democracy.”
Joe Moceri, a Saugus voter who works in the oil and gas industry, said he focused on his values to decide who to vote for.
“I try and block out a lot of the noise and really just kind of go with what I think is right for me and my family, and what I think the right future for the country is, and locally too,” Moceri said.
He was not as nervous about what will come next, he said.
“I don’t think this is the answer to many of the problems,” he said. “I think that we’ll continue to need to work together, you know, to find just solutions and just be kind and nice to each other.” — Liz Neisloss and Meghan Smith
12:30 p.m., Nov. 5
Issues with jammed machines and partisan displays are being resolved across Massachusetts
A number of voters in Massachusetts have called into Lawyers for Civil Rights’ Election Protection line this morning to communicate issues at polling locations. The group has over 1,000 poll-checking volunteers in the Bay State and New Hampshire. Issues include jammed voting machines, limited disability parking, and inappropriate displays of political paraphernalia.
“If a machine is not working, then it can lead to placing ballots in unsecure locations. And so fixing the machines in real time is critically important,” said Iván Espinoza-Madrigal, executive director of the organization.
In Yarmouth, there were reports of voters being asked to show ID. In Malden, multiple voters reported issues with jammed machines, and ballots being placed in unsecured locations. In Milford, poll workers were displaying political materials, and in Lowell, there was inadequate disabled parking.
Secretary of State Bill Galvin’s office said it has immediately responded to all reports of issues at polling locations, and Lawyers for Civil Rights confirmed they’ve been fixed. The toll-free Election Protection hotline is 866-OUR-VOTE. — Sarah Betancourt
11:30 a.m., Nov. 5
Attorneys general urge a ‘peaceful transfer of power’
The attorneys general from 47 states and three U.S. territories are urging people to remain peaceful and to preemptively “condemn any acts of violence related to the results.”
The statement, released Tuesday, was signed by chief prosecutors from every U.S. state except Indiana, Montana and Texas. Attorneys general from the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories of American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands also signed.
“We call upon every American to vote, participate in civil discourse and, above all, respect the integrity of the democratic process,” they wrote. “Violence has no place in the democratic process; we will exercise our authority to enforce the law against any illegal acts that threaten it.”
In New Hampshire, Attorney General John Formella’s office said he joined in the statement to “to condemn any and all acts of post-election violence, and to reaffirm the importance of a peaceful democratic process leading up to the 2024 general election.”
“Attorney General Formella reminds all Granite Staters that democracy was built on the basic right to vote in peace, and that his office is collaborating with local, state, and federal partners to ensure a free and fair election process,” a spokesperson for his office said.
Fears of election violence persist nearly four years after Trump supporters rioted at the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the election certification. Rather than condemning the violence during his campaign, Trump has celebrated the rioters, pledging to pardon them and featuring a recorded chorus of prisoners in jail for their roles in the Jan. 6 attack singing the national anthem. —Moriah Balingit, Associated Press and Phillip Martin, GBH News
11:15 a.m., Nov. 5
Federal election monitors at eight Massachusetts cities
Eight Massachusetts cities will have federal election monitors at the polls to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws, Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy’s office said.
The eight cities are Everett, Fitchburg, Leominster, Lowell, Malden, Methuen, Quincy and Salem. Levy’s office said it’s illegal for communities to block voters from bringing an assistant to help them cast a ballot, either due to disability or for language translation.
In all, the Department of Justice says monitors will be at some 86 communities across the country to ensure compliance. —GBH News Staff
9 a.m., Nov. 5
Ballot measure campaigning in East Boston
Outside a polling place at East Boston High School, Regina Brown-Ross was holding signs for the Yes on 3 campaign. The ballot measure would create a pathway for Uber and Lyft drivers to form a union.
“They’re trying to improve their wages and their pay, as everyone wants to do,” Brown-Ross said. “All five questions are essential.” — Paris Alston, reporter
Read up on Massachusetts’ ballot questions
8:45 a.m. Nov. 5
The Massachusetts students voting in their home swing states
They may live in Massachusetts, but they’re voting in the states that will decide the 2024 election: College students from swing states aren’t messing around when it comes to making their voices heard today.
Rachel Hogan, a Northeastern student from Pennsylvania, is voting for president for the first time. “It’s been a really unique experience to live in a blue state like Massachusetts where there are several people that I’ve met that maybe aren’t going to vote because they’re from a consistently blue state, whereas I have had the opportunity to influence the election with my vote,” Hogan told GBH News.
Liz Benecchi, a senior at Harvard College, is from Georgia and recently flew home for the weekend to vote early. After seeing Joe Biden win Georgia by just under 12,000 votes in 2020, Benecchi, who is supporting Vice President Kamala Harris, said it could come down to the wire again. “Every vote — even though people don’t think it matters — every vote literally matters,” Benecchi said. — Alexi Cohan, digital producer
8 a.m. Nov. 5
Presidential race, MCAS drive voters in Dorchester’s Florian Hall
Polls are open at Florian Hall in Dorchester this a.m. Follow @GBHNews for all the latest this Election Day! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Eqaf1aTebQ
— Paris Alston (@BonjourParis_) November 5, 2024
At Florian Hall in Dorchester’s Ward 16, at least 50 people had already come through the polls in the first hour.
Dennis Ryan said he came “to vote for Donald Trump.”
“Because of immigration, number one. The validity of the ballot box is very important,” Ryan said. “But most of all freedom of speech. That is the number one issue that I’m coming out for today, Absolutely. Trump, what he’s had to put up with is appalling in a republic. So the nation’s fate is in our hands today.”
He also said he was there to vote No on Question 2 to preserve the MCAS as a high school graduation requirement.
Katherine Parker came to vote with her dog, Pippa.
“This is, I believe the most important election of, my lifetime, our lifetime,” Parker said. “I have family members who are in the military and I appreciate everything that they’ve done so that I can be here today.” — Paris Alston, reporter
7 a.m. Nov. 5
Polls are now open
As the clock strikes 7 a.m., the polls are officially open.
One-third of Massachusetts voters have already done their civic duty by voting early or by mail, according to the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s office. The highest pre-Election Day turnout came in the Cape Cod towns of Eastham and Orleans, with 56% of voters already submitting their votes.
The state’s largest cities, which typically see more voters on Election Day, saw a smaller share of voters hit the ballot boxes before Tuesday: 23% of voters returned their ballots before Tuesday in Boston and Worcester, along with 13% of voters in Springfield, 36% in Cambridge, and 16% in Lowell.
Polls close at 8 p.m. across Massachusetts, so if you haven’t cast your ballot yet, you have 13 hours to get to a polling place.
For anyone looking to turn in a mail-in ballot, Secretary of State Bill Galvin is “strongly recommending” that you drop it off in person at a drop box or election office rather than send it by mail so that it gets counted. — Hannah Reale and Gal Tziperman Lotan
4 a.m. Nov. 5
It’s Election Day!
Election Day is here, and poll sites across the commonwealth are opening in just a few hours. But make no mistake — over a third of Massachusetts’ five million registered voters have already cast their ballots.
Massachusetts’ top election official Bill Galvin is expecting record turnout driven by the presidential race.
GBH News has plenty of guides on what to know for Election Day, including details on the five statewide ballot questions that voters get to approve or deny. — Hannah Reale
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