Super Tuesday in Massachusetts brings an opportunity for independent voters
BOSTON - Massachusetts is one of 15 states holding primaries or caucuses on Super Tuesday and independent voters may play a big role here.
Secretary of State Bill Galvin said he expects a "reasonably good turnout" at the polls, which opened at 7 a.m. in Massachusetts. They close at 8 p.m.
Can independents vote in MA primary?
Massachusetts allows registered voters who are not enrolled in a party, known as independents, to vote in the primary that they choose.
Galvin said more than 13,000 Democrats in Massachusetts have unenrolled from the party so far this year. Republican Party enrollment is down 4% in the state from last year.
"We have a significant opportunity for independent voters since they can take a ballot for either party without becoming a party member. That is very unusual, and I don't know if that's unique, but it's unusual," Galvin said at a news conference Monday. "Clearly voters are preferring not to be affiliated with either party."
West Roxbury voter Chuck Morse said he believes the trend of more people choosing to vote independent speaks volumes about the current state of politics.
"Party politics seem to be changing a great deal. I know a lot of people who are now unenrolled. I think it's a statement of really where we are in the country," Morse told WBZ-TV.
Massachusetts is one of seven Super Tuesday states with an option to cast an "uncommitted" vote. This has been a way for some to protest President Biden's support for Israel's war in Gaza. More than 101,000 votes in Michigan's Democratic primary last week were for "uncommitted." In Massachusetts, the option is listed as "no preference" on ballots.
Where do I vote?
There are more than 4.9 million registered voters in Massachusetts, but they can't just vote anywhere. Every voter in Massachusetts has an assigned polling place on Primary Day.
If you have a mail-in ballot, do not mail it in at this point or bring it to your polling place. Instead, put your ballot in your city or town's community drop box. Galvin said voters who haven't returned their mail ballot can still vote in person Tuesday.
President Biden is the front-runner for the Democrats while former President Donald Trump is the leading candidate for the Republican nomination. For the 2024 primary, Massachusetts has 43 delegates for Republicans and 116 for Democrats.
Galvin said more than 500,000 people have already voted early, which is about 11% of all registered voters in the state. About 90% of those voters did so by mail.