MA 2022 Election Guide: Statewide Candidates, Ballot Questions

MASSACHUSETTS — The commonwealth may not be getting attention like Pennsylvania and Georgia this year, but Massachusetts has a big election on Nov. 8 with consequential races for top state offices, plus a handful of important ballot questions.

To help you brush up on all the races before polls open Tuesday, we've put together a guide to the people and things on the ballot, and what you need to know to cast a ballot.

This guide does not cover local races in Massachusetts this year. Voters in individual districts across the state will be deciding local state House and Senate races, plus local ballot questions in some cases.

Voting Times, Places

• Polls open statewide at 7 a.m. Tuesday and close at 8 p.m.
• Find your polling place here
• Check if you're registered to vote here

Voting By Mail?

If you're voting by mail and have already submitted your ballot — either by mail, drop box, clerk's office or early voting site — then you should be all set. You can check if your ballot has been counted here.

But if you're waiting until Election Day, your best bet is to drop your ballot either in a box (those close at 8 p.m.) or at your clerk's office. Putting them in the mail on Tuesday is likely too late, and you can't drop the ballots off at polling sites.

Who and what is on the ballot?

The marquee 2022 race is to replace Gov. Charlie Baker, but it hasn't been a close one. Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey has led former state lawmaker and Republican nominee Geoff Diehl in polling since the September primary. If Diehl wins, it would be a major upset for Healey, who held a pre-election campaign rally with Vice President Kamala Harris in Boston.

There are also four ballot questions for voters to decide on issues like driver licenses for undocumented residents and taxing millionaires. There are also many other top state offices on the ballot, plus federal races for Congress. Here's the spread of people and things on the 2022 ballot:

Statewide

GOVERNOR

• Geoff Diehl (R)
• Maura Healey (D)

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

• Leah Allen (R)
• Kim Driscoll (D)

ATTORNEY GENERAL

• Andrea Campbell (D)
• James McMahon (R)

SECRETARY OF STATE

• William Galvin (I)(D)
• Rayla Campbell (R)
• Juan Sanchez (Green-Rainbow)

TREASURER

• Deb Goldberg (I)(D)
• Cristina Crawford (Lib)

AUDITOR

• Anthony Amore (R)
• Diana DiZoglio (D)
• Gloria Caballero-Roca (Green-Rainbow)
• Dominic Giannone (Workers)
• Daniel Riek (Lib)

GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL

1st District

• Joseph Ferreira (D)

2nd District

• Robert Jubinville (D)
• Dashe Videira (R)

3rd District

• Marilyn Devaney (D)

4th District

• Christopher Iannella Jr. (D)
• Helene MacNeal (R)

5th District

• Eileen Duff (D)
• Michael Walsh (R)

6th District

• Terrence Kennedy (D)

7th District

• Paul DePalo (I)(D)
• Gary Galonek (R)

8th District

• John Comerford (R)
• Tara Jacobs (D)

Ballot Questions

Question 1 — A yes vote would create a "millionaire's tax." The tax, applied to people who earn over $1 million per year, would generate money to fund schools and infrastructure upgrades. The money comes from an additional 4 percent tax on any income above $1 million.

Question 2 — A yes vote would regulate dental insurance companies so that they are required to spend at least 83% of premiums on dental expenses instead of on administrative costs.

Question 3 — A yes vote would increase the number of beer and wine licenses any single retailer could possess: from 9 to 12 licenses in 2023; to 15 in 2027; and to 18 in 2031. This would help companies that operate multiple retail locations. The measure would institute a corresponding lowering of the cap for all-alcohol licenses.

Question 4 — A yes vote keeps in place a state law that allows undocumented residents to seek driver licenses.

U.S House of Representatives

FIRST DISTRICT

• Richard Neal (I)(D)
• Dean Martilli (R)

SECOND DISTRICT

• Jim McGovern (I)(D)
• Jeffrey Sossa-Paquette (R)

THIRD DISTRICT

• Lori Trahan (I)(D)
• Dean Tran (R)

FOURTH DISTRICT

• Jake Auchincloss (I)(D)

FIFTH DISTRICT

• Katherine Clark (I)(D)
• Caroline Colarusso (R)

SIXTH DISTRICT

• Seth Moulton (I)(D)
• Bob May (R)
• Mark Tashjian (Lib)

SEVENTH DISTRICT

• Ayanna Pressley (I)(D)
• Donnie Palmer Jr. (R)

EIGHTH DISTRICT

• Stephen Lynch (I)(D)
• Robert Burke (R)

NINTH DISTRICT

• Bill Keating (I)(D)
• Jesse Brown (R)

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Question 3 would increase all-alcohol licenses, but the question only deals with beer and wine licenses.