Arlington 2026 Election Voter Guide: Candidates, Ballot Questions And Where To Vote

Here everything that voters need to know before casting a ballot.

By Benjamin Pierce, Patch Staff

Oct 12, 2026 4:29 PM EDT

The Massachusetts state election will take place Tuesday, Nov. 3. (Patch Graphics)

ARLINGTON, MA — Election Day is approaching, and Arlington voters will face a lengthy ballot with federal, statewide and local district races.

The Massachusetts state election will take place Tuesday, Nov. 3. Arlington residents will vote for governor, U.S. senator, state legislators and other offices, along with nine statewide ballot questions. Here is what Arlington voters need to know before casting a ballot.

When Is Election Day?

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Arlington polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone in line by 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote, according to the Massachusetts Elections Division. The voter registration deadline is Saturday, Oct. 24. Residents can register, update an address or check their registration through VoteInMA.

Where Do I Vote?

Election Day voters must use the polling location assigned to their home address. Arlington has 21 voting precincts, so residents should confirm their location before heading out.

The town's Elections & Voting page provides polling-place information and links to the state's Where Do I Vote? lookup, where residents can confirm their precinct, polling location and district races.

Early Voting

Early in-person voting will run from Saturday, Oct. 17 through Friday, Oct. 30 in the Arlington Town Hall Auditorium, 730 Massachusetts Ave.

According to the town's election page, voting hours will be:

Saturdays, Oct. 17 and Oct. 24: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sundays, Oct. 18 and Oct. 25: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Mondays through Wednesdays, Oct. 19–21 and Oct. 26–28: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursdays, Oct. 22 and Oct. 29: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Fridays, Oct. 23 and Oct. 30: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Registered Arlington voters may use the early-voting site regardless of their assigned Election Day polling location. No application is needed to vote early in person.

Voting By Mail

The deadline to request a mail-in or mailed absentee ballot is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. Applications must reach the local election office by that time. Residents may apply online through VoteInMA or submit an application to the Arlington Town Clerk's Office at Town Hall, 730 Massachusetts Ave.

Completed ballots may be returned by mail, delivered to the Town Clerk's Office or placed in the town's ballot drop boxes, located at:

Town Hall Plaza: 730 Massachusetts Ave.
Fox Library: 175 Massachusetts Ave.
ACMi studio: 85 Park Ave.

Ballots returned in person or by drop box must arrive by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots returned by domestic mail must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and arrive by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.

Voters can also track a mail-in ballot online.

Who Is On The Ballot?

The following candidates will appear on Arlington ballots, according to the Secretary of the Commonwealth's certified candidate list.

U.S. Senate: Edward J. Markey (D); John Deaton (R); Shiva Ayyadurai (I); Joe Tache (Socialism and Liberation).

Governor And Lieutenant Governor: Maura Healey and Kim Driscoll (D); Michael Minogue and Shawn Oliver (R); Andrea James and Kayla Kittredge (I).

Attorney General: Andrea Joy Campbell (D); Michael C. Walsh (R).

Secretary Of The Commonwealth: William Francis Galvin (D); Anne R. Brensley (R).

State Treasurer: Deborah B. Goldberg (D); Elizabeth Dionne (R).

State Auditor: Diana DiZoglio (D); Al Ozonoff (Libertarian).

U.S. House, 5th Congressional District: Katherine M. Clark (D).

Governor's Council, 3rd District: Mara Dolan (D).

State Senate, 4th Middlesex District: Cindy F. Friedman (D).

The state House contest depends on the voter's address.

State House, 23rd Middlesex District: Sean Garballey (D).

State House, 24th Middlesex District: David M. Rogers (D).

Northern District Attorney: Marian T. Ryan (D).

Middlesex County Register Of Probate: Tara E. DeCristofaro (D); Tara Martorella (Justice for All).

Voters can use the state's sample-ballot lookup to see exactly which district races will appear on their ballot.

Ballot Questions

Massachusetts voters will decide nine binding statewide questions, the most ever placed on a Massachusetts ballot, according to the official 2026 voter guide.

See Related: Legal Pot Sales Repeal, State Primary Reform Among 9 MA Ballot Questions This Fall

Question 1: Public Records. A yes vote would place most records held by the governor's office and Legislature under the state Public Records Law. A no vote would leave the current law unchanged.

Question 2: Public Defender Employees. A yes vote would specify that Committee for Public Counsel Services employees may unionize and collectively bargain. A no vote would leave the current labor law unchanged.

Question 3: State Primaries. A yes vote would replace party primaries for state offices with a single all-party primary, with the top two candidates advancing to the general election. A no vote would retain separate party primaries. Patch examined the proposal here.

Question 4: Election Day Registration. A yes vote would allow eligible residents to register or update their addresses at their polling places on Election Day beginning in 2028. A no vote would retain the advance registration deadline.

Question 5: State Revenue Limit. A yes vote would change the state revenue cap by linking it to the previous year's collections and average wage growth, with excess revenue returned to taxpayers. A no vote would leave the current system unchanged.

Question 6: Nature For All Fund. A yes vote would create a conservation fund supported by portions of the taxes collected from sporting goods, recreational vehicles and golf-course use. A no vote would leave those tax revenues allocated under current law.

Question 7: Single-Family Housing. A yes vote would generally allow single-family homes on residential lots of at least 5,000 square feet that meet frontage, water and sewer requirements. Municipalities could still regulate features including height, parking and setbacks. A no vote would make no change.

Question 8: Recreational Marijuana Sales. A yes vote would repeal the legal, regulated retail market for recreational marijuana while continuing to allow limited adult possession. A no vote would preserve the current marijuana law.

Question 9: Firearms Law. A yes vote would keep the state's 2024 firearms law in place, including provisions covering ghost guns, assault-style weapons and extreme-risk protection orders. A no vote would repeal the law. Read Patch's closer look at Question 9.