Election 2020: Braintree Voter Guide

Jimmy Bentley
Updated ·4 min read

BRAINTREE, MA — Voters in Braintree will head to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the 2020 general election.

In addition to the presidential and congressional races, there are several key races at the state and local level, as well as two ballot questions. Voting will be different this year thanks to rules approved to expand early and mail-in voting in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 24. You can check your voting status on the Secretary of State's website, where you can also find your polling place.

There are several ways registered voters can cast a ballot:

Mail-In Voting
Vote-by-mail applications must be received by the Braintree town clerk by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28. If you've applied and haven't gotten your ballot yet, check with the secretary of the commonwealth's ballot tracker.

Ballots can be returned by mail, emailed, faxed or returned by hand to the clerk’s office. They can also be returned at the drop boxes located at Town Hall.

Mail-in ballots need to be postmarked by Nov. 3 and returned to the local election office no later than Nov. 6.

Early Voting

Early voting will take place this year at Town Hall, 1 John F. Kennedy Memorial Drive, during these hours:

  • Saturday, October 17 & 24: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

  • Sunday, October 18 & 25: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

  • Monday, October 19 & 26: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  • Tuesday, October 20 & 27: 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

  • Wednesday, October 21 & 28: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  • Thursday, October 22 & 29: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  • Friday, October 23 & 30: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Voting on Election Day

Polls in Massachusetts are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. You can also use the Secretary of State’s website to find your polling place, and your ward and precinct.

Key Races

The following are the key contested races that will be on the ballot for Braintree voters:

President/Vice President

Joe Biden/Kamala Harris (Democrat)
Donald Trump/Mike Pence (Republican) - Incumbent

Congress
U.S. House 8th District

Stephen Lynch (Democrat) - Incumbent

Jonathan Lott (Healthcare Environment Stability)

U.S. Senate
Edward Markey (Democrat) - Incumbent
Kevin O'Connor (Republican)
Andre Gray (Green)
Frederick Mayock (independent)

Ballot Questions
Question 1: "Right To Repair" Vehicle Access Requirement Initiative
Yes: A yes vote would require carmakers to expand access to mechanical data for all cars sold in Massachusetts beginning with model year 2022.
No: A no vote leaves the 2013 right-to-repair law unchanged.

Question 2: Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative
Yes: A yes vote favors adopting a system gives voters the option of ranking candidates on their ballot in order of preference, as opposed to selecting just one. And if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of first-choice votes, the candidate with the least first-choice votes is eliminated, and the voters who preferred that candidate have their votes reallocated based on their second choices. Then the ballots are recounted and the process is repeated until one candidate breaks the 50 percent threshold.
No: A no vote keeps the current system in place.

Contested State Rep and State Senate Races

5th Norfolk District State Rep.

Mark Cusack (Democrat) - incumbent

Frank Collins (Republican)

State Senate Norfolk and Plymouth District

John Keenan (Democrat) - incumbent

Alexander Mendez (Independent)

Here are other key election dates to be aware of:

  • Oct. 24 — Last day to register to vote ahead of the Nov. 3 election. You can register online, by mail or in-person at the clerk's office or you can register at the Rosario "Russ" Malone Archives and Record Center at 260 Grove St from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. during early voting.

  • Oct. 28 — Last day to apply by mail for an absentee (mail-in) ballot.

  • Nov. 2 — Last day to apply in person for an absentee (mail-in) ballot.

This article originally appeared on the Braintree Patch