Campaign 2024

Two weeks of In-Person Early Voting for Presidential Election begins tomorrow at the Saugus Public Library

By Mark E. Vogler

SAUGUS – Only 137 registered Saugus voters showed up at the Saugus Public Library’s Community Room during six days of In-Person Early Voting in August (24-30) for last month’s state primary election. The library voter turnout for the presidential primary during six days of In-Person Early Voting (Feb. 24-March 1) for this year’s Presidential Primary was twice as good. But the 272 voters it drew was just a fraction of the town’s 22,154 registered voters.

“I think In-Person Early Voting for the primaries is a waste,” Saugus Town Clerk Ellen Joyce Schena said as her office staff and team of part-time election workers prepared for another dozen days of In-Person Early voting for this year’s Presidential Election.

“The primaries don’t draw a lot of people anyway. I think you should either have In-Person Early Voting or Early Voting by Mail. Nobody comes out for the primaries. You don’t really need two of them for the primaries,” she said.

A vast majority of Saugus voters will still wait for the Nov. 5 Presidential Election. But with a hotly contested presidential race this year, there’s enough on the ballot to stir great interest among town voters who choose to exercise their early In-Person Voting rights tomorrow – 18 days before the election.

Voting will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Community Room of the library at 295 Central St. Residents who come to cast their vote early should use the Taylor Street entrance.

The ballot highlights

The two-page official specimen ballot includes:

• A showdown between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and former Republican President Donald Trump.
• A race for the U.S. Senate, with Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Warren seeking another six year term over Republican Challenger John Deaton.
• Five ballot questions, including several controversial ones. Question 1, if approved, would authorize the state auditor to audit the state Legislature. The measure initiated by Diana DiZoglio received no vote from the Senate or House of Representatives.

Question 2, if passed, would eliminate passing the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests in mathematics, science, technology and English in order to receive a high school diploma.

Question 3, if passed, would provide Transportation Network Drivers with the right to form unions and to collectively bargain with Transportation Network Companies.

Question 4, if passed, would allow people 21 and older to grow, possess and use certain natural psychedelic substances in certain circumstances.

Question 5, if passed, would gradually increase the minimum hourly wage an employer must pay a tipped worker over the course of five years, from 64 percent of the state minimum wage on Jan. 1, 2025, to 100 percent of the state minimum wage on Jan. 1, 2029.

• Essex County Clerk of Courts Thomas Driscoll, Jr., a Democrat seeking reelection in a race contested by two challengers: Todd R. Angilly, an unenrolled candidate from Lynnfield, and Doris V. Rodriguez, an Independent candidate from Lawrence.
• A race for the Registry of Deeds seat for the Essex Southern District between Eileen M. Duff, a Democrat from Gloucester, and Jonathan Edward Ring, a Rockport Republican.

In-Person Voting can be an expensive option

Saugus Town Clerk Schena noted that from a financial standpoint In-Person voting can cost more per voter than voting absentee or Early Mail-in Voting. “Election workers make $15 an hour. Three people work 8-hour days for six days and there’s over-time for the regular staff,” Schena said.

“There’s also building maintenance before and after the voting period in the library. Police officers may be called in to work a detail on Saturdays,” she said.

The state does give some money back to communities for municipal costs related to In-Person Early voting, according to Schena.

Schena said there’s also a situation in which voters may vote absentee in addition to In-Person Early Voting, which is usually caught by a system of checks and balances, but the task of finding duplicate votes does contribute to increased resources, Schena said.

Many more citizens who don’t vote on Election Day are inclined to vote by Mail-in Early Voting and Absentee voting than by In-Person Early Voting, according to Schena. “Last month, we mailed out close to 4,000 Early Voting and Absentee mail-in ballots, and we got back just under 1,600,” Schena said.

“For the March Presidential Primary, we mailed out about 3,700 ballots and got back just under 1,600 back,” she said.

Schena said that she has no problem with the In-Person Early Voting process for general or presidential elections.

She recalled that initially in 2016, In-Person Early Voting lasted only a week and had more restrictions in place. “COVID changed all of that in 2020,” Schena said.

“It went to two weeks with fewer restrictions. And they never changed it back,” she said.

The In-Person Early Voting Schedule

First Week

Saturday, Oct. 19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

No Sunday

Monday, Oct. 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 22, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 23, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 25, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Second Week

Saturday, Oct. 26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

No Sunday

Monday, Oct. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 31, 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 1, 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.