Massachusetts’ Presidential primary election will be held Tuesday, March 5, commonly known as “Super Tuesday” because of the number of primary elections taking place around the country.
Primaries are, by definition, party elections, and there are three available party ballots—Democratic, Republican or Libertarian. Voters registered with a party must take that party’s ballot. Unenrolled voters can choose any ballot; choosing a ballot does not change a voter’s unenrolled status. Specimen ballots for each party are on the Town Clerk’s website.
Each party’s Presidential candidates are listed on its ballot, including some candidates who have suspended their campaigns after ballots were printed. Each ballot also has the option “no preference” and space for a write-in candidate.
Since this is a party election, voters will also see candidates for the party’s state committee on the ballot. According to the Secretary of State’s website, “Each party’s state committee is allowed to elect one man and one woman from each of the Commonwealth’s 40 state senate districts. Members of the state committee work to:
· Promote the aims of the party
· Work in cooperation with the national party committee and with ward and town committees
· Organize and work for the nomination and election of party candidates.”
In addition, Sudbury primary voters will elect members of the Sudbury town committees for each party, up to 35 people. The ballots present the individuals running for the town party committees, with an option to vote for the entire slate and to write in additional candidates. The Secretary of State’s website describes the duties of town party committee members as: “Representing their party at the local and neighborhood level; and promoting the objectives of the party; and working for the nomination and election of party candidates.”
The deadline to register to vote in the Presidential primary is Saturday, Feb. 24. You can register online at www.VoteInMA.com.
The last day to request a mail ballot for this election is Tuesday, Feb. 27, but it is best to file an application immediately to assure the ballot arrives on time. Unenrolled voters must specify which party’s ballot they want when they apply for a mail ballot. Additional information on mail ballots is available on the Town Clerk’s website here.
In-person early voting for the Presidential primary will be offered at Town Hall, 322 Concord Rd., for all voters, regardless of precinct. Early voting hours are:
Saturday, Feb. 24 | 9 AM-3 PM |
Monday, Feb. 26 | 8:30 AM-4:30 PM |
Tuesday, Feb. 27 | 8:30 AM-6 PM |
Wednesday, Feb. 28 | 8:30 AM-4:30 PM |
Thursday, Feb. 29 | 8:30 AM-4:30 PM |
Friday, March 1 | 8:30 AM – 12 PM
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Voting in person on Election Day, Tuesday, March 5, will be available from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters in precincts 1, 2, 3 and 5 will vote at Fairbank Community Center. Voters in precincts 4 and 6 will vote at Town Hall. Click on Where Do I Vote to determine which precinct you are in and where you vote.
See the FAQs section of the League’s website for additional election information.