Election season is upon us once more! As a community hub, we can act as a positive influence for all our citizens. One of the most important rights and obligations in a democracy is the freedom to vote. As the Athenaeum endorses and encourages education and freedom of thought for all its patrons, we’ve prepared a list of frequently asked questions that will help you figure out what you need to do to vote, and below, you can identify the politicians relevant to your ballot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When are the general elections being held?
A: November 8th, for everyone! Most polling locations will be open from 7am to 8pm. Anyone currently in line when the polling location closes must be allowed to vote.
Q: Where can I go to vote?
A: Everyone in Westfield will have an assigned polling location based on where they live. You can use Westfield’s polling location website to identify where you need to vote. You should receive a paper notification of this in the mail as well.
Q: How can I register to vote?
A: If you have a valid ID issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles (Driver’s license, State ID, RealID), you can use the Massachusetts online voter registration page. Most Massachusetts residents are automatically registered to vote after getting a valid ID from the RMV, but it never hurts to check!
Q: Does Massachusetts allow same-day voter registration?
A: No. You must be registered by October 29th to vote in this election.
Q: How can I check my registration status?
A: Using the State website at this link: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx
Q: How can I sign up for an absentee ballot?
A: You can sign up for an absentee ballot from the city here: https://www.cityofwestfield.org/742/Absentee-Voting
Q: I have a question that wasn’t on this list. Is there someplace I can go to learn more?
A: State information: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleupcomingelections/upcoming-elections.htm and Local information: https://www.cityofwestfield.org/222/Elections-Voting
Who’s Who? In Their Own Words
We’ve compiled a list of each candidate’s campaign website for easy reference. Take a look through your prospective candidates and see what their team has to say about them
Federal Candidates
US House of Representatives, MA 1st Congressional District
D: Richard Neal
State Candidates
Governor
D: Maura Healey
R: Geoff Diehl
Lieutenant Governor
R: Leah Allen
MA Secretary of the Commonwealth
MA Attorney General
MA Auditor
MA Treasurer
R: No candidate
Local Candidates
Hampden County Sheriff
D: Nick Cocchi
R: No candidate
