LWV Newton logo

Visit us on Facebook!

Plan your vote!

Deadline to register

The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 3, 2020 general election is October 24, 2020.

NOTE: Certain voters must submit a copy of their identification with their voter registration or present it at their polling place on Election Day. For more information on identification requirements, please see our page on Identification Requirements.

What will Newton voters be voting on in November?

  • President of the United States
  • Representative to the U.S. Senate
  • Representative to the U.S. House, 4th MA District
  • State and County government offices
  • 2 Ballot Measures:
    Question 1 – “Right to Repair” law
    Question 2 –  Ranked Choice Voting

3 Ways to Vote

Due to Covid-19, the state has expanded voting options for the 2020 elections.  Make a plan about how you will vote.

Voting by Mail

Follow these steps to vote by mail…

    1. APPLY:  Complete (and sign!) your  Vote by Mail Application
      Apply for your ballot early.  Applications must be received by October 28, but don’t wait to the last minute to apply.  Applying by October 20 is recommended.
    2. DELIVER:  Mail, email, or bring your completed application to the Newton City Clerk.
    3. VOTE:  Once it arrives, fill out your ballot
    4. RETURN:  Mail or deliver your ballot in the envelope provided
    5. TRACK:  Use the Track my Ballot tool to check the status of your mailed or hand-delivered ballot

For more information on voting by mail, see Massachusetts’ Voting by Mail FAQs and/or the City of Newton’s Elections webpage.

Early Voting

Early voting will be available October 17 – 30. Stay tuned for voting hours and location(s) information for Newton voters.

Election Day Voting

Vote in-person on Election Day, November 3, 2020 at your polling location from 7am to 8pm.  Unsure where to vote?  Find your polling location here.

How can Newton voters learn more about the candidates and ballot questions?

The following state and League resources can help inform your vote:

 

Click here to view the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s “Information for Voters” for the November 3, 2020 election.  The booklet (which was also mailed to the households of each registered voters across the state) contains helpful information about the 2020 Ballot Questions and provides lots of additional information about voting this fall.

 

Use VOTE411.org See what’s on your ballot and view candidate statements with personalized voter information powered by the League of Women Voters Education Fund.  You can also check your registration, find your polling place and more using this amazing tool for voters.

US President

US Senate

4th Congressional District

MA House of Representatives – 10th Middlesex District

Ballot Questions

The questions, summaries, what your vote will do, statements of fiscal consequences, arguments in favor and against, and the full text of the measures are in the official guide to the 2020 ballot questions, the red booklet entitled “Information for Voters”, published and distributed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.  Find it here or click the image of the booklet above.

Question 1: An Initiative Law to Enhance, Update and Protect the 2013 Motor Vehicle Right to Repair Law. (Right to Repair Law)

The League of Women Voters of MA has taken no position on this question.

Question 2: Initiative petition for a Law to Implement Ranked-Choice Voting in Elections (Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative)

The League of Women Voters of MA supports a YES vote on Question 2.

Read more about the LWVMA’s positions on these ballot questions.

More 2020 Election links…

The League Presents- A Conversation with Councilor Deb Crossley, Ward 5, on Zoning Redesign

Recently, I had the pleasure of having a conversation with Councilor Crossley, Chair of the Zoning & Planning Committe of the City Council,  (ZAP).  The City of Newton’s Zoning Redesign project is a multi-year effort to update and rewrite Newton’s Zoning Ordinance. “Zoning is the set of laws governing such things as the size and shape of buildings, additions and renovations, and what types of activities can take place in which buildings”.  We talked about the following topics:

  • The background/history of the zoning redesgn process, specifically the what, why, and when.
  • What will success look like?
  • How will zoning redesign help with the development of more econimically diverse housing units?
  • How is ZAP planning to engage the community in the conversation and gather input/commentary?

Information and regular updates about Zoning Redesign can be found at the Current Drafting Status page on the city’s website.

Marcia Johnson

President, LWVN

NY Times marks the 100th anniversary of Women’s suffrage

Today’s New York Times included a special section, Suffrage at 100: “To mark the anniversary of the 19th Amendment, we’re revisiting the stories of how women won the right to vote in the United States.”

On Tues. August 18th, Unfinished Work: Finish the Fight will premiere at 7:00pm ET. [Update: watch the recording on Youtube.] The Times describes it as “a  virtual play, celebrating the unsung heroes of suffrage.”

“They were tireless organizers. Tenacious fighters. And political geniuses. They were Black and Latinx. Indigenous and immigrant. Together, they won women the right to vote and laid the cornerstone for gender equality in the United States. Yet their stories have rarely been told. Until now.

This August, we give voice to these heroes of the suffrage movement. Join us for the premiere of this innovative new performance. Learn why their fight is far from over.”

Read more →