Above: Local 17 Sheet Metal Workers, based on Adams Street in Lower Mills, held a standout in Adams Village on Tuesday afternoon in support of Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. Seth Daniel photo
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Update: The polls are now closed in the state election. Citywide turnout hit 35.6 percent in Boston at 6 p.m., according to city of Boston Election Dept. That’s 158,019 voters who’ve cast ballots today — or in the early vote— with under two hours to go before the polls close.
That puts Boston on pace to match or perhaps surpass the 2022 turnout, which was 40 percent.
State House News Service reporter Colin A. Young reports that “almost right as polls closed, the Associated Press called the governor’s race for incumbent Democrat Maura Healey and the U.S. Senate race for incumbent Democrat Ed Markey. The AP says it declares a winner “only when it’s determined there is no scenario that would allow a trailing candidate to close the gap.”
Just after 9:30 p.m., Mike Minogue told supporters:”I want to congratulate Governor Healey, I called her and wish her congratulations.”
In a statement conceding his loss, Markey’s challenger John Deaton said: “The voters have made their voices heard tonight, and I respect their decision. While I disagree with the path forward, I wish Senator Markey only success in his final six-year term. His service to the Commonwealth is historic in its length and impact on our people.”
SELECT PRECINCTS
First numbers coming in from Bellflower Apts (Polish Triangle). Ward 7, p. 9, Markey clobbers Deaton 340-103; Healey/Driscoll swamp Minogue/Oliver 342-118; Q. 3 (primary) goes ‘No’ , 288 (no)-191 (yes); and cannabis Q. 8 also a big ‘No’ vote, 398(no)-86 (yes).
Dorchester’s red-leaning Florian Hall (16-12) goes for Minogue over Healey, 448-222; Deaton over Markey, 380-239; Walsh over Campbell for AG, 404-239; votes “No” on Q.3 (primary) 438-209; wants to keep legal weed, 428 (no)-201 (yes).
Minogue also won a traditionally conservative precinct at the Adams Street Library, 16-9, by a tally of 429-368, according to a reporter on the scene. However, Healey won the other precinct at the polling location, 16-8, by a tally of 534-280.
But Healey and her running mate Kim Driscoll were dominant at most other polls in the city.
The Dems won a clear victory at the Kit Clark Apartments on Dorchester Avenue (Ward 13, precinct 7), beating the GOP ticket 421-154. Markey also beat Deaton there by a similar margin.
The Democratic ticket— including all constitutional officers— were cruising to lopsided wins in key precincts, including St. Mark’s, Codman Square Library, and Viet-AID in Fields Corner (Ward 15, precinct 7)
•••
Boston voters headed to the polls today— Tuesday (Nov. 3) — for the state election, with early voting and mail-in ballot returns in the city lagging behind the statewide average, according to figures released Monday by Secretary of State William Galvin’s office.
US Rep. Ayanna Pressley and her family arriving to a polling station in Hyde Park this morning. Yawu Miller photo
Polls opened at 7 a.m. Tuesday and stayed open until 8 p.m. across Boston’s 275 voting precincts.
On Tuesday afternoon, Galvin said his office had heard reports of some lines at polling stations due to “high voter turnout” and “the unusually long ballots.”
“We have also received some anecdotal reports of longer wait times for voters depositing their ballot in the ballot box after voting,” Galvin said in a statement.
“While these longer wait times are not widespread, I ask that voters be patient if there is a line to cast their ballot. Local election officials are making every effort to expedite voters through the process. I also want to remind anyone who is voting later this evening that they will be allowed to vote as long as they are in line at their polling place at 8 p.m.”
The polls were busy in Dorchester throughout the day, based on anecdotal reports, but no unusually long lines were observed.
Outside the Codman Square Library on Election Day, Jocelyn Sammy came to vote with her mother, Maria Desilva.
“I think making sure we’re being inclusive and reaching those that can’t be able to come in person matters too,” Sammy said. “Making sure there is another option for them to also have their voices heard as well.”
Dasilva said she voted because “it’s time for change, for a better world, for everybody to have a say and to receive what they really need for the future.”
Above: Dorchester residents Cassandra Brandao, of Boston Latin Academy, Cordelia Cornish, of O’Bryant High School, and Aaron Riddle, of Boston Latin School, were diligently working the polls in Ward 17 at 450 Washington St. on Tuesday as part of the Student Pollworkers Program. Any Boston Public School student 16 and over can participate for the day and get a behind the scenes look at the electoral process. These students got extra-credit for their AP Government classes and an excused day off from school with pay. Two trainings were provided before Election Day. Photo courtesy Sarah Riddle
Jaqueline Hinton said she enjoys the experience of voting in person rather than through the mail.
“You get to come in, you see your actual paper, and you can sit there and fill it out. I like it, and I get my sticker,” Hinton said.
She planned to put one sticker on her work badge and give another to her granddaughter for her journal, she said.
Quincy Roberts, who described himself as a “super voter,” has never missed an election since turning 18.
“I’m old-fashioned and traditional,” Roberts said. “I just like Election Day and I want to push for Election Day to be a holiday versus, you know, people with nine to fives having to either go early in the morning or rush home and vote.”
Roberts also praised the poll workers and the communal atmosphere. “The people at the polls in this neighborhood, they’re so nice and friendly,” he said. “Everything has gone virtual and I think we need to come outside.”
While Roberts prefers voting in person, he expressed confidence in voting by mail.
“I think it’s completely fine to do a mail-in ballot. I just personally rather walk in and cast my ballot, but I trust it. I trust the system.”
Teresa Small, who lives within walking distance of the library, said she prefers personally seeing her ballot go into the machine.
“I feel much better when I do it in person,” Small said. “I’m able to see my ballot go through. And doing it through the mail, how do I know it’s going to be sent to the right place?”
Terrance Flynn and Mary Ann Brown work the polls outside of Florian Hall in Neponset on Tuesday afternoon. Flynn was there as an Election Protection non-partisan voluntary poll observer, while Brown was there stumping for Yes on Question 3. Seth Daniel photo
Shai-Ann Nance expressed similar concerns about the reliability of mail delivery.
“Sometimes, even without this just being a voting situation, mail gets lost,” Nance said. “So I’d rather do it in person where I know like, yeah, I got that.”
Isaac Vu said voting in person gives him a stronger connection to the democratic process and the people participating alongside him.
“I want to feel like I’m able to actually make a change with my own individual voice,” Vu said. “Being in person surrounded by other people who vote also makes it feel more real.”
Felicia Smith described voting in person as both a personal accomplishment and a family tradition that she passed along to her children.
“I make this walk here, I place my vote, and I feel like I’ve accomplished,” Smith said. “I’ve always voted in person. When my children were younger, I used to take them with me to vote so they could see me do it. And hopefully that would reflect on their future. And it did.”
Jack Pelletier, also a voter at the Codman Square library, said his choice to vote in person was primarily a matter of convenience and habit.
“I have to learn the mail-in ballot process, and I’ve just never bothered,” Pelletier said. “It’s just always easy for me to do this. It’s never been something I’ve looked into.”
City officials said more than 2,000 poll workers have been recruited and trained to administer the election.
This year’s ballot was unusually lengthy, featuring nine statewide ballot questions spread across three double-sided ballot cards, in addition to races for federal, statewide and legislative offices.
City election officials are urging voters to allow extra time to complete their ballots and to take special care when feeding the three cards into voting machines. Each card must be inserted separately, with voters waiting for the machine to display “System Ready” before inserting the next one. After inserting the final card, voters should wait for the same message before leaving.
All polling places are wheelchair accessible and equipped with voting assistance terminals. Multilingual poll workers and interpreters will also be available, with additional language assistance offered by telephone.
Residents who still have mail-in ballots can return them to official city ballot drop boxes or directly to the Election Department at City Hall, Room 241, before 8 p.m. Tuesday. Mail-in ballots cannot be returned at Election Day polling locations.
Ballots sent through the mail must be postmarked by Nov. 3 and received by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, to be counted.
The city expects to release its first election results between 8 and 9 p.m. Tuesday, reflecting early in-person and mail ballots processed in advance at City Hall. Combined Election Day and early voting results are expected to begin appearing around 10 p.m., with additional precinct totals posted throughout the evening.
Anna Saldinger of the BU Statehouse program contributed reporting to this article, along with Reporter news editor Seth Daniel and executive editor Bill Forry and correspondent Yawu Miller.
Copyright © 2026 Boston Neighborhood News, Inc. This content may not be re-published or re-used without written permission.
