The polls in Massachusetts open at 7 a.m. They close at 8 p.m., and that’s when we begin our live coverage of election results in New England and around the country.
VOTER GUIDE: A look at candidates in western and central Massachusetts and northern Connecticut
LISTEN NOW: New England Public Radio I NEPR News Network
LIVE RESULTS: MassLive I WWLP
Here’s a look at some of the top races we’ll be watching:
MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR
Republican Charlie Baker, the former head of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, and Democrat Martha Coakley, the state’s attorney general, have waged a hard-fought and expensive race to succeed Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick, who opted not to seek a third term. Three independents, Evan Falchuk, Scott Lively and Jeff McCormick, are also on the ballot for governor.
BALLOT QUESTIONS
Question 1: Eliminating Gas Tax Indexing
A 2013 transportation funding bill raised the state’s gas tax and tied future increases to inflation. If this ballot question passes, the automatic increases would be eliminated.
Question 2: Expanding the Beverage Container Deposit Law
This proposal would add non-carbonated beverages, including iced tea and water, to the list of beverages requiring a five-cent bottle deposit.
Question 3: Expanding Prohibitions on Gambling
This question is essentially a repeal of Massachusetts’ 2011 casino law. If it passes, casino projects slated for Springfield, Plainville, Everett and a yet-to-be-determined spot in Southeastern Mass. would be called off.
Question 4: Earned Sick Time for Employees
If it passes, this question would require all but the smallest employers in Massachusetts to offer paid sick leave to full and part-time employees.
DOWN THE BALLOT
U.S. Senator for Massachusetts
A low-key U.S. Senate race pits Democratic incumbent Edward Markey against Republican Brian Herr, a former Hopkinton selectman. Markey won a special election last year after John Kerry left the Senate to become U.S. secretary of state, and he is now seeking a full six-year term.
Attorney General
Democrat Maura Healey, a former assistant attorney general, is vying against Republican attorney John Miller to succeed Coakley as Massachusetts attorney general.
Secretary of the Commonwealth
Bill Galvin, the five-term Democratic Massachusetts secretary of state, is being challenged by Republican David D’Arcangelo and Daniel Factor of the Green-Rainbow Party.
Treasurer
Democrat Deb Goldberg, Republican Mike Heffernan and Green-Rainbow Party candidate Ian Jackson are hoping to succeed Massachusetts state Treasurer Steven Grossman, who lost to Coakley in the Democratic primary for governor.
Auditor
Democratic Massachusetts state Auditor Suzanne Bump, seeking a second term, faces Republican Patricia Saint Aubin and Green Rainbow member MK Merelice.
State Senate for the 1st Hampden-Hampshire District
This seat will be vacated by Democratic Sen. Gale Candaras, who aspires to become Hampden County Register of Probate. The Democrat nominee to replace her is former White House aide Eric Lesser. He faces chamber of commerce executive Deb Boronski, a Republican, and Holyoke veteran services aide Mike Franco, who is running under the America First party. The district includes parts of Chicopee and Springfield, and all of East Longmeadow, Hampden, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Wilbraham, Belchertown and Granby.
State Senate for the 2nd Hampden-Hampshire District
Holyoke police officer Patrick Leahy, a Democrat, is challenging incumbent Republican state Sen. Don Humason, who won a special election for this seat last year. The district includes parts of Chicopee, and all of Holyoke, Westfield, Agawam, Granville, Montgomery, Russell, Southwick, Tolland, Easthampton and Southampton.
State Senate for the Worcester-Hampden-Hampshire-Middlesex District
To the west, a battle to win the seat of the retiring chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Stephen Brewer. Republican Mike Valanzola, chair of the Tantasqua Regional School Committee, faces Democratic state Rep. Anne Gobi. The district includes Ashburnham, Athol, Barre, Brookfield, Charlton, East Brookfield, Hardwick, Hubbardston, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Oakham, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipston, Rutland, Spencer, Sturbridge, Templeton, Warren, West Brookfield, Winchendon, Brimfield, Holland, Monson, Palmer, Wales, Ware and Ashby.
AROUND NEW ENGLAND
Connecticut Governor
In a rematch from 2010, Republican businessman and former ambassador to Ireland Tom Foley is trying to unseat Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy. An independent, Joe Visconti, announced he was dropping out Sunday and threw his support to Foley.
Vermont Governor
Incumbent Democrat Peter Shumlin is running against six candidates, including Republican Scott Milne.
New Hampshire Governor
Gov. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat, is seeking reelection against Republican Walt Havenstein.
U.S. Senator for New Hampshire
Scott Brown, the former U.S. senator from Massachusetts, packed up and headed to a land where he will try to Live Free and Get Another Shot At Washington. He faces Democratic incumbent senator, and former governor, Jeanne Shaheen.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.