First Suffolk and Middlesex Primary Set for Dec. 14

On Tuesday, December 14 East Boston voters will head to the polls during the First Suffolk & Middlesex Special Election Primary and cast their ballots for state senator. The election to fill the seat vacated by Joseph Boncore will take place in the Boston neighborhoods of Eastie, North End, Beacon Hill, Chinatown, Bay Village, the South End as well as Revere, Winthrop and Cambridgeport. 

Who is on the Ballot next Tuesday 

On the ballot in next Tuesday’s Special Election are District 1 City Councilor Lydia Edwards and Revere School Committee member Anthony D’Ambrosio. 

Councilor Edwards, an Eastie resident, previously ran for the Senate seat after former State Senator Anthony Petrucelli left office in 2016. While unsuccessful in that race Edwards went on to run for the District One City Council seat, which includes Eastie, Charlestown, and the North End, the following year. She went on to win that race and has served on the council ever since. 

D’Ambrosio, a Revere resident, got his start in politics in 2019 when he successfully ran for Revere School Committee, a citywide seat. He topped Revere’s School Committee ticket in that race and had an impressive showing with more than 5,000 votes during his first run for political office. 

Where to Vote in Eastie 

The following are the polling locations in Eastie broken down in order from Precincts 1 through 14. All Eastie polling locations will be open between 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 14. Ballots will be available in English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. Language assistance will be available on Election Day by translators at polling locations or by contacting the Election Department’s translation phone bank. 

Precinct 1, Samuel Adams Elementary School – 165 Webster St. Vote in the auditorium. Voters enter from the left of the main entrance. 

Precinct 2, Donald Mckay School – 122 Cottage St. Vote in the music room. Voter entrance on Mckay Place. 

Precinct 3, BHA Heritage Apartments – 209 Sumner St. Vote in the community room.

Precinct 4, Paris Street Community Center – 112 Paris St. Vote in the gymnasium.

Precinct 5, Paris Street Community Center – 112 Paris St. Vote in the gymnasium.

Precinct 6,7,8,9 and 10 East Boston High School Gymnasium – 86 White Street. Vote in the gymnasium. Voter entrance is on the left side of the building on Brooks Street.

Precinct 11, Cheverus School Apartments – 10 Moore St. Vote in the lobby. Voter entrance is through the parking lot from Chaucer Street to the left of the main entrance. 

Precinct 12, Orient Heights Yacht Club – 61 Bayswater St. Vote in the function room.

Precinct 13, Curtis Guild Elementary School – 195 Leyden St. Vote in the gymnasium. Voter entrance is at 195 Leyden street to the far right of the building.

Precinct 14, Overlook Terrace – 40 Vallar Rd. Vote in the community room. 

In-Person Early Voting

In-person early voting for the December 14 Primary began in Boston on Saturday, December 4. Voters will still be able to vote early on Thursday, December 9 from 12 – 8 p.m. at the BCYF Paris Street Community Center, 12 Paris Street. 

There will also be an opportunity to vote early in-person for the senate race at City Hall on Wednesday, December 8 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Thursday, December 9 from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.; and Friday, December 10: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Note that Friday is the last day of in-person early voting. 

Vote by Mail Ballots Drop Boxes 

The City of Boston has also installed a ballot drop box for voters to drop off completed vote by mail ballots. 

The Ballot Drop Box location in Eastie is at the East Boston Branch Library, 365 Bremen Street, East Boston, MA 02128. Locations also include  both the first and third floor entrances of Boston City Hall. All drop boxes are monitored under 24 hour video surveillance. Drop boxes will also be available at each early voting location during the scheduled voting hours. 

Applications for vote by mail ballots have been mailed out to every registered voter in the district. Voters are asked to fill out the application, including their signature, as applications received without a signature will not be accepted. 

Vote by mail applications can be returned by U.S. mail with the prepaid postcard or in-person at the Boston Election Department, City Hall, Room 241.

If a registered Boston voter did not receive or lost their application, they can request a new ballot application by completing the form available on the City’s vote-by-mail website. The form can be sent to the City of Boston’s Election Department, via mail, email, fax, or in-person. The Boston Election Department is located at Boston City Hall, City Hall Square, Room 241, Boston, MA 02201. Fax: 617-635-4483, Tel: 617-635-VOTE (8683). Email: [email protected] 

Vote By Mail

The Election Department sent out vote by mail ballots to those who requested one. Once a voter receives their ballot package, they should follow the enclosed instructions. It is important to sign the yellow ballot affidavit envelope. Unsigned ballot affidavit envelopes will cause a ballot to be rejected. To return ballots by U.S. mail, make sure to apply sufficient postage. While ballot package weight can vary, two First Class stamps is generally sufficient.

To be counted, ballots must be received by the Boston Election Department or in a ballot drop box by the close of polls on Election Day, Tuesday, December 14 at 8 p.m.

Tracking Your Ballot

Boston voters can track their ballot request through the state’s website. For more information on how to participate in the Special Election, please visit boston.gov/election. 

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