Salem 2026 Voter Guide: Ballot Questions, Candidates, Polling Locations

SALEM, MA — Salem residents who have not yet voted early in person or through mail-in balloting will go to the polls on Tuesday in the statewide general election.

Voters who are voting in person on Tuesday are urged to leave a bit of extra time, given that there are nine ballot questions to go along with statewide races for Governor/Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer, as well as races for U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative and local state legislators.

Voters in Essex County will choose their next representative for the 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives with Andover Democrat and former Biden Administration official Dan Koh facing off against Essex Republican lawyer and U.S. Army veteran Micah Jones.

This fall, Patch had a series of stories laying out the arguments for and against many of the ballot initiatives.

While the Supreme Judicial Court struck down initiatives involving rent control and reducing the state income tax from the ballot, several contested questions remained, including Question 8, which would roll back the 2016 voter approval of recreational marijuana shops across the state.

• 2026 MA Elections: Question 8 Would Repeal Legalized Pot Shops For Recreational Use

• 2026 MA Elections: Question 3 Would Eliminate Party-Based Primaries

• 2026 MA Elections: Question 4 Would Allow Same-Day Voter Registration

• 2026 MA Elections: Question 7 Would Implement State Minimums For Housing Construction

• 2026 MA Elections: Question 9 Would Codify Stronger State Gun Laws

Statewide Races

Democratic Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll are looking to fend off challenges from Republican businessman Mike Minogue and Independent Andrea James.

Democratic U.S. Senator Ed Markey survived his primary challenge from U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, who opted not to run for re-election to that seat in order to challenge Markey, and faces Republican John Deaton and Socialism and Liberation candidate John Tache.

There are also statewide races for State Treasurer between incumbent Democrat Deb Goldberg and Republican challenger Elizabeth Dionne, Secretary of State between incumbent Democrat Bill Galvin and Republican challenger Anne Brensley and Attorney General between incumbent Democrat Andrea Campbell and Republican challenger Michael Walsh.

How To Vote

Polling locations are open statewide from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Salem polling locations for 2026:

Ward 1 Precinct 1 Bentley Academy Gymnasium, 25 Memorial Drive
Ward 1 Precinct 2 Community Center, 135 Lafayette Street
Ward 2 Precinct 1 & 2 Community Life Center, 401 Bridge Street
Ward 3 Precinct 1 & 2 Salem High School, Auditorium, 77 Willson Street
Ward 4 Precinct 1 & 2 Witchcraft Heights School Gym, 1 Frederick Street
Ward 5 Precinct 1 & 2 Saltonstall School Auditorium, 211 Lafayette Street
Ward 6 Precinct 1 & 2 Bates School Theatre Room, 53 Liberty Hill Avenue
Ward 7 Precinct 1 & 2 Salem Enterprise Center, 121 Loring Avenue

Residents can find their polling location here.

RETURNING VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS

• Your ballot can be mailed using the provided pre-paid white envelope
• Dropped off outside the front entrance of City Hall, 93 Washington Street, in the black "payment" box
• Brought into the Elections Office in Room #5 of City Hall, 93 Washington Street
• Dropped into one of Salem's secured Ballot Drop Boxes until 8 pm. on Election Night.
• Locations of Ballot Drop Boxes are:
  Fire Station Headquarters, 48 Lafayette Street
  Fire Station #5, 64 Loring Avenue
  Fire Station #4, 415 Essex Street

Ballots cannot be returned to polling locations the day of the election.

For ballots returned by mail in the biennial state election in November, three extra days are allowed for ballots postmarked by Election Day to arrive in the mail.

Use our Track My Ballot tool to check the status of your ballot. The tracker will show you the date your ballot was mailed, the date it was returned, and whether your ballot was accepted or rejected.

Check back with your Patch throughout Election Night for updates, results and reactions.