Early voting kicks off Sat. for state primary election

Democratic candidates for state rep. Tamisha Civil and Bill Galvin have been making their case to voters. (Photos courtesy of Walter Winthrop)

Multiple contested races, several motivated challengers, and local representation across both party tickets should make for a fascinating primary election season in Canton, which begins in earnest this Saturday with the start of early voting.

Under a new voting reform bill signed into law by Governor Baker in June, all registered voters are now eligible to cast a “no-excuse” early ballot, either in person or by mail, or they can wait until Election Day, which for the 2022 primary is Tuesday, September 6.

Those who are planning to vote early can do so at Canton Town Hall either on August 27 or any day between August 29 and September 2. (See the early voting schedule at town.canton.ma.us/259/Town-Clerk for a complete list of dates and times.) Those who intend to vote by mail must first submit an application to the Town Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on August 29, and the completed ballot itself — unlike for the general election — must be returned before the close of polls on Election Day.

Anyone who has not yet registered to vote, or who still needs to update any voter information, must do so by this Saturday, August 27, in order to be eligible to vote in the state primary. Voter registration, as well as updates, can be done online through the secretary of state’s website at sec.state.ma.us/ovr.

For the primary election, voters who are enrolled in a particular party may only vote in that party’s primary; however, unenrolled voters may choose to vote in either one (but not both).

On the Democratic side, voters will have choices to make in several major state races, including three-way nomination battles for lieutenant governor (Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll, Rep. Tami Gouveia of Acton and Sen. Eric Lesser of Longmeadow) and for attorney general (former Boston City Councilor Andrea Campbell, labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan and former Assistant AG Quentin Palfrey). There are also contested races for secretary of state, where civil rights attorney Tanisha Sullivan is looking to unseat longtime incumbent William Galvin (no relation to Rep. Bill Galvin), as well as state auditor, where former transportation official Chris Dempsey and state Senator Diana DiZoglio are vying for the nomination. Two names also appear on the Democratic primary ballot in the race for governor; however, one of the candidates, state Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, is no longer campaigning and has essentially ceded the nomination to Attorney General Maura Healey, the current front runner.

But perhaps the most closely followed race on the Democratic side, at least as far as Canton residents are concerned, is the battle for state representative in the 6th Norfolk District between longtime incumbent Bill Galvin of Canton and challenger Tamisha Civil of Stoughton. Galvin has held down the post for the past 31 years, winning several uncontested elections along the way, while Civil, a probation officer, legal advocate, and active member of the Stoughton community, is running for a second time after her inaugural run in 2020 (Galvin won the nomination handily that year with 64.4 percent of the vote.)

Civil, however, has raised her profile in the district significantly over the past two years and believes she has a story to tell and a perspective that resonates with voters. Her campaign website, tamishacivil.com, outlines her legislative priorities and includes biographical information to help candidates get to know her better.

Galvin, meanwhile, is emphasizing his track record as a lawmaker as well as his commitment to the communities within the district and his advocacy on their behalf over three decades working on Beacon Hill. Galvin also outlines his top priorities and some of his key legislative achievements on his campaign website at staterepbillgalvin.com.

As for Canton’s Republican voters, this year’s primary ballot features contested races for the top two state posts: governor, where former state Rep. Geoff Diehl of Whitman, a Trump-backed Republican, is vying with Wrentham businessman Chris Doughty for the nomination, and lieutenant governor, featuring a battle between former state representatives Leah Allen and Kate Campanale.

The other contested race on the GOP ballot pits Canton resident Hamilton Rodrigues against Milton native Robert Burke in a bid to represent Massachusetts’ 8th District in congress. Both candidates are self-proclaimed political outsiders who are positioning themselves as the preferred alternative to incumbent Stephen Lynch and the other Democrats in the House.

Rodrigues has the backing of several state party leaders while Burke is emphasizing the grassroots nature of his campaign, which is focused on curbing government spending and reducing inflation. Voters can learn more about both campaigns at rodriguesforcongress.com and burke4business.com.

For information on where to vote and identifying voter precincts, visit the Canton Town Clerk’s Office at town.canton.ma.us/259/Town-Clerk.

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