By Beth David, Editor
Early Voting starts on Saturday, 10/17, for the 11/3/26 state election.
Mail-in and absentee voting is already underway. The deadline to apply for mail-in voting is Tuesday, October 27, at 5 pm.
Contact your town clerk/elections office (see below for each municipality) for information on how to request a mail-in or absentee ballot.
Acushnet Early Voting Schedule
Early voting for the 11/3/26 state election takes place from Oct. 17 through Oct. 30. All Early Voting takes place at Parting Ways Building, 130 Main St., Acushnet, at the Town Clerk’s Office: Monday through Friday during regular business hours, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., and until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays; and on Saturdays, 10/17 and 10/24, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Election day voting, 11/3/26, takes place for all precincts at Acushnet Elementary School, 800 Middle Road, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Contact the Town Clerk for more details, 508-998-0215.
Fairhaven Early Voting Schedule
In-person Early Voting will be available in the Banquet Room at the Fairhaven Town Hall, 40 Center Street.
Early Voting for the 11/3/26 state election will be available in the Banquet Room at the Fairhaven Town Hall, 40 Center Street, Monday through Friday during regular Town Hall business hours: Monday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., and until 6 p.m. on Mondays; on Fridays, 10/23 and 10/30, from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; and on Saturdays, 10/17 and 10/24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
On election day, 11/3/26, all precincts vote at the Fairhaven Recreation Center, 227 Huttleston Ave., from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Contact the Town Clerk for more details, 508-979-4023.
New Bedford Early Voting Schedule
Early voting will be held Downtown on the third floor of the New Bedford Main Public Library at 613 Pleasant Street from 8 am to 4 pm October 17 through October 30. The last day to register to vote is Sat., 10/24.
Any New Bedford resident who is uncertain about their voting status, designated polling location, has changed their address since the last election, or has questions regarding mail-in, absentee, or early voting should contact the New Bedford Board of Elections Commission at 508- 979-1420.
Local groups offer guidance on Ballot Questions
Massachusetts voters are facing nine questions on the ballot. See our story in our 9/24/26 issue for details on each question.
For the online guide to each ballot question, visit https://ma.omniballot.us/sites/25/vg/app/vig/voter-guide/info on the Secretary of State’s website. Information includes everything that is in the red book that was mailed to all voters in the Commonwealth: summaries, arguments, legislative reports, and full text of the laws. Visit VoteInMA.com for other election information.
Question 1: Expanding the Public Records Law; Q2: Collective Bargaining for CPCS Employees; Q3: State Primary Elections; Q4: Election Day Registration; Q5: State Revenue Limit & Rebate; Q6: Natural Resource Conservation Fund; Q7: Single Family Homes; Q8: Prohibit Retail Sale of Adult Recreational Use Marijuana; Q9: Firearms Regulation
The Mass. Democratic Party, Republican Party, and some advocacy groups have issued voting guides for the ballot questions.
Mass. Dems: No on 3, 5, 8; yes on all the others. Visit https://www.massdems.org/
Mass. Repubs: Yes on 1 and 5; no stance on 2 and 8; no on all the others. Visit https://massgop.com/massachusetts-incumbent-democrats-wont-debate-2/
League of Women Voters: Yes on 1, 4, 7, 9; no position on 2, 3, 6, 8; no on 5. Visit https://lwvma.org/ballot-questions-2026/
Progressive Massachusetts: No on 3, 5, 8; no position on 6; yes on all the others. Visit https://www.progressivemass.com/2026-ballot-questions/
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Click here to download the 10/15/26 issue: 10-15-26 FireOpenHouse
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