JASON LEWIS and ED DOMBROSKI
By DAN TOMASELLO
WAKEFIELD — Voters will pick our next governor, lieutenant governor, representative in Congress, state Senator and many more officers during the State Election tomorrow, Nov. 8.
The centralized polling place at the Galvin Middle School will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Leading up to tomorrow’s all day voting, Town Clerk Betsy Sheehan and her team have already been busy this election cycle.
Through the end of business today, Sheeran expects to exceed 7,000 ballots cast through early voting by mail and through in-person early voting.
All told, the town’s top elections official expects turnout for the Nov. 8 election to be between 46 and 48 percent when voting concludes tomorrow night.
There are 19,743 registered voters in Wakefield.
Of particular interest in Wakefield is the election race for state Senate, which pits incumbent Jason Lewis, the Winchester Democrat, against Chestnut Street Republican Ed Dombroski, a family law attorney and veteran Wakefield Town Councilor.
The State Election is headlined by a three-candidate race for governor and lieutenant governor. The candidates looking to succeed Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito are Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey and Salem Mayor Kimberly Driscoll, former Republican State Reps. Geoff Diehl and Leah Allen, and Libertarian Party nominees Kevin Reed and Peter Everett.
The two candidates looking to succeed Healey as attorney general are Democratic nominee and former Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell and GOP nominee/Cape Cod atty. James McMahon.
Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State William Galvin is running against GOP nominee/Nashua, New Hampshire-based WSMN radio host Rayla Campbell and Green-Rainbow Party nominee Juan Sanchez.
Democratic Treasurer Deborah Goldberg is facing off against Libertarian Party nominee Christina Crawford, who is Libertarian lieutenant governor nominee Peter Everett’s wife.
There are five candidates running for state auditor. The candidates looking to succeed outgoing Auditor Suzanne Bump are Democratic State Sen. Diana DiZoglio, Republican nominee Anthony Amore, Libertarian nominee Daniel Riek, Green-Rainbow Party nominee Gloria A. Caballero-Roca, and Workers Party nominee Dominic Giannone III.
Congressman Seth Moulton, the Salem Democrat and one-time presidential candidate, is being challenged by Peabody Republican Bob May.
In Wakefield Precincts 4, 5 and 6, State Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian, the Melrose Democrat, is running unopposed this election cycle. So is Saugus Republican Donald Wong in Precincts 1, 2,3 and 7.
Also running unopposed are Terrence W. Kennedy for Governor’s Council’s Sixth District, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian.
Ballot questions
The State Election also includes four ballot questions.
Question 1 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would establish an additional 4 percent state income tax on people who earn an annual income of $1 million and more. A yes vote would amend the state Constitution to impose an additional 4 percent tax on people who earn over $1 million to be used, subject to appropriation by the State Legislature, on education and transportation. A no vote would make zero changes to the state’s income tax.
Ballot Question 2 would regulate dental insurance. The ballot question would require dental insurance companies to spend at least 83 percent of premiums on member dental expenses and quality improvements instead of administrative expenses, and would make other changes to dental insurance regulations. A yes vote would implement the changes, and a no vote would result in no changes to dental insurance regulations.
Question 3 seeks to increase the number of licenses a retailer could have for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be consumed off premises and would limit the number of “all-alcoholic beverages” licenses that a retailer could acquire. Question 3 would also restrict the use of self-checkout for alcohol sales, and would require retailers to accept customers’ out-of-state identification. A yes vote would implement the changes while a no vote would make no changes governing the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Ballot Question 4 would keep in place a law that state lawmakers approved last May that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a driver’s license or permit if they meet certain criteria. A no vote would repeal the law. If Question 4 passes, the law will go into effect on July 1, 2023.