On Nov. 5, the nation will pick a president. And voters around the country will pick members of Congress, senators, state office holders and more.
In addition to the presidential race, Massachusetts has a senate election and Newton has a contested state representative contest. And there are five ballot questions.
It’s a busy time for democracy.
Here are three things to know for the Nov. 5 election.
1. The candidates
First, there’s the big race, for president.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Nominee, is facing off against former President Donald Trump, the Republican.
There are several other candidates from other (or no) parties:
- Engineer and entrepreneur Shiva Ayyadurai is running as an independent candidate, with Crystal Ellis as his running mate.
- Educator and community organizer Claudia De la Cruz is running as the Socialism and Liberation nominee, with Karina Garcia, also an educator and community organizer, as her running mate.
- Georgia political activist Chase Oliver is running as the Libertarian Party nominee, with businessman and economist Mike ter Maat as running mate.
- Dr. Jill Stein running as Green-Rainbow nominee, with University of California Professor Butch Ware as her running mate.
There’s a Senate race on the ballot, with U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren seeking to defend her seat from Bolton attorney John Deaton.
Newton technically has two state representative races, but only one is contested now.
In the Middlesex 11th district race, Democrat Amy Sangiolo, former Newton city councilor and attorney with the Attorney General’s Office, is competing for that seat against Republican Vladislav Yanovsky, director of education at the Boston Career Institute.
The 12th Middlesex seat only had Democrats in it, so primary winner and former City Councilor Greg Schwartz is unopposed on the ballot in the general election.
The tiny bit of Newton that sits in the Middlesex 10th district, held by state Rep. John Lawn, doesn’t have any challengers this year.
2. The ballot questions
This year, there are five questions on the ballot, and the results could change the state’s economy and education system.
Question 1 asks voters to grant the state auditor the authority to audit the state legislature.
Question 2 asks if the MCAS exam should be removed from high school graduation requirements.
Question 3 asks if rideshare employees should be allowed to form unions.
Question 4 asks voters to legalize the use of certain plant-and-fungus-based psychedelic drugs.
Question 5 asks voters to bring the $6.75-an-hour minimum wage for tipped employees up to the $15 regular minimum wage and allow employers to split employees’ tips among other staff.
3. When and where
The election will be Tuesday, Nov. 5, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Polling places are all around the city and are specific to neighborhoods and addresses. Newton’s city website has a complete map of the city’s wards and precincts as well as a page where residents can enter their address and find their exact polling place for Election Day.
Early voting will be held at City Hall, Newton North High School and Newton South High School on the following days:
- Saturday, Oct. 19, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday, Oct. 20, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Monday, Oct. 21 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Oct. 22, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Wednesday Oct. 23, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Thursday Oct. 24, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Friday Oct. 25, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Saturday Oct. 26, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday Oct. 27, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Monday Oct. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Tuesday Oct. 29, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Wednesday Oct. 30, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Thursday Oct. 31, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Friday Nov. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The last day to register to vote is Oct. 26. And the last day to apply for a mail-in ballot is Oct. 29.
Voters can find more information, including sample ballots, on the city website.