By Wayland Post staff
Wayland voters will cast their votes for state, federal and county offices, as well as nine statewide ballot questions, on Nov. 3 – or sooner if voting early or by mail.
There will be two ballots for voters: one for precincts 1 and 4, which are in the 13th Middlesex District, and one for precincts 2 and 3, in the 5th Middlesex Districts.
Election day voting
All Wayland voters can cast their votes on Nov. 3 at Wayland Town Building gymnasium, 41 Cochituate Road. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters need to be in line by 8 p.m. in order to vote. Registration, precinct and ballot information and confirmation can be found at www.sec.state.ma.us/WhereDoIVoteMA/WhereDoIVote.
Early in-person voting
In-person early voting runs Oct. 17-30:
- Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to noon
- Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Voting by mail
The application to vote by mail must be received by the Town Clerk’s Office by Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 5 p.m., and postmarks do not count. From the time the Town Clerk’s office receives the application, mail the ballot, and receive it back from voters can take two to three weeks so plan accordingly.
If you vote by mail, note that this year’s ballot will consist of two pages. Be sure to return both pages with your ballot regardless of how many offices or ballot questions you vote on . Returning both pages will help ensure that our election results accurately reflect the total number of voters and votes cast.
Ballots should be dropped off at the Town Clerk’s office by Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3) at 8 p.m. Not sure whether you have a Vote by Mail application on file? Click here to track your ballot.
Deadlines
The last day to register to vote, change your party, or update your address is Saturday, Oct. 24, at 5 p.m., at the Town Clerk’s Office. Online voter registration can be done up until 11:50 p.m. at www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/.
Candidates on the ballot
The following candidates will be listed on Wayland ballots, according to the Massachusetts Secretary of State:
- Attorney General: Andrea Joy Campbell (D) Michael C. Walsh (R)
- Governor and Lieutenant Governor: Maura Healey and Kim Driscoll (D); Michael Minogue and Shawn Oliver (R); Andrea James and Kayla Kittredge (I)
- Governor’s Council, 3rd District: Mara Dolan (D)
- Middlesex County Register of Probate: Tara E. DeCristofaro (D); Tara Martorella (Justice for All)
- District Attorney: Marian T. Ryan (D)
- Secretary of the Commonwealth: William Francis Galvin (D); Anne R. Brensley (R)
- State Auditor: Diana DiZoglio (D); Al Ozonoff (Libertarian)
- State House, 13th Middlesex District (Precincts 1 and 4): Ravi Simon (D)
- State House, 5th Middlesex District (Precincts 2 and 3): David Paul Linsky (D); Luisa A. Cestari (R)
- State State Senate, Middlesex And Worcester District: James Bradley Eldridge (D); Joseph Timothy Shea (R)
- Treasurer: Deborah B. Goldberg (D); Elizabeth Dionne (R)
- U.S. House, 5th Congressional District: Katherine M. Clark (D)
- U.S. Senate: Edward J. Markey (D); John Deaton (R); Shiva Ayyadurai (I); Joe Tache (Socialism and Liberation)
The town has posted separate sample ballots for Precincts 1 and 4 and Precincts 2 and 3 on its Election-Related Information page.
Statewide Ballot Questions
All Wayland voters will decide nine binding questions. Full summaries and arguments are available in the state’s Voter Information Guide, available on the Election-Related Information page
- 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.
- 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.
- Additional Question for Precincts 1 and 4: Nonbinding Question 10 asks whether the voter’s state representative should support legislation or rules reducing legislative leaders’ control over stipends and limiting extra pay to lawmakers performing significant, transparent, and accountable additional work.
