Burlington, Cast Your Vote in the State Primary Election
Voters across the state of Massachusetts will be at the ballot box today, casting votes for the Democratic or Republican candidates that will represent the party at the General Election in November. The State Primary Election will be held today, September 3, 2024, from 7:00 AM-8:00 PM at Burlington High School. Even if you are not registered with a political party, you can still vote in the primary; simply tell the poll worker which ballot you'd like to vote.
On the Democratic ballot in Burlington's district, there is a sole contested race, and it's right at the top of the ballot. Mara Dolan challenges Marilyn Pettito Devaney for her spot on the Governor's Council. Two years ago, the same two candidates went against one another, and while Dolan "flipped" 14 towns, Devaney took Burlington by a 2:1 margin. Importantly, 435 voters did not vote for Governor's Council, listed on the ballot as "Councillor."
The Buzz interviewed both Dolan and Devaney, and we summarized the role of the little-understood but very consequential Governor's Council so voters can be informed about the role and the candidates when they get their ballot. As there are no Republican candidates, the winner of this Primary will serve as your Governor's Councillor in District 3 for the next two years.
On the Republican side, three Republican candidates are vying to challenge Elizabeth Warren for United States Senator in November: veteran, attorney, and small business owner, John Deaton; tech entrepreneur and Quincy City Councillor, Ian Cain; and software engineer Bob Antonellis. We have not interviewed these candidates, but their websites are linked above.
In 2022, about 23.5% of eligible voters in Burlington voted in the State Primary, and the ballots voted were about three-quarters Democratic and one-quarter Republican.
Head out to the high school today between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM to cast your vote in either the Democratic or Republican State Primary. And remember, unenrolled (often referred to as "independent") voters can vote the primary ticket of their choice.
