Voters flocked to polling locations across the county on Tuesday to cast their votes fin the midterm elections — an election that was as much about upholding the tradition of democracy for some voters as it was about the candidates and questions on the ballot.
“We always vote,” said Mike Naughton of Montague, who was at the polls with his wife, Judy. “That’s what democracy is all about.”
In addition to a ballot of mostly contested races for regional and state offices, voters were asked four statewide questions, with two additional ones in certain districts.
Perhaps most notably, Question 1 asked voters to consider adding a 4% surtax on personal incomes of more than $1 million, an initiative supporters have dubbed the Fair Share Amendment. If passed, the money raised annually from this new tax, an estimated $2 billion, will go toward education and transportation.
“Schools all over the state are underfunded,” said Greenfield resident Doug Selwyn, a vocal advocate on the question who stood outside the polls at Greenfield High School on Tuesday morning. “This is one small effort to try to get some of the money in the state back to the schools … and infrastructure we badly need.”
Alec MacLeod of Orange said Question 1 seemed fair.
“Here’s the thing,” he said. “If I were earning $1 million a year … I think that I could probably see my way to contributing a little more.”
Christie Shippa of Northfield said she also thinks Question 1 is fair. She said she showed up to the polls because “it’s good for everyone’s opinions to be heard.”
Orange resident Jeannette Calvi, who went the polls at 62 Cheney St. with her 2-year-old granddaughter Madison Navarro, said she voted against Question 1.
“That’s a big ‘no,’” she said as Madison held the “I Voted” sticker her grandmother got for participating in the democratic process. “Because I feel that … we’re taxed enough and … I feel very strongly that those people that work hard and earn their money should be able to keep it, and it shouldn’t matter whether you make $10 or make $200.
“You should be able to have a flat tax and we shouldn’t tax people just because they’ve made a gain,” she said.
Husband and wife Phil and Angel Simon of Warwick voted in favor of Question 1.
“A progressive tax rate is important to the concept of America,” Phil Simon said.
Ballot Question 4, also a much-debated issue in the lead-up to Election Day, asked voters whether the state should allow undocumented immigrants access to standard driver’s licenses.
“It’s a human rights issue,” said Gill resident Abby Graceck, who waved to passersby as they made their way into one of Montague’s polling locations at the Franklin County Technical School. “We live in a rural area. Many of the people who grow our food, or who work on the front lines … have to get to work somehow. We don’t have public transit in those places.”
Northfield resident David Jurkowski, a Democrat who went to the polls with grandson Dezmond Jurkowski in tow, said he was torn on Question 4 but voted in favor of it.
“It wasn’t because I had super strong feelings on it,” he said. “My gut says people are going to drive, and I’d rather have them be licensed than not.”
Others, however, disagreed and felt it was time to “rein in” legislators.
“I think our state legislators are overstepping their authority,” said Greenfield resident Joe Morton.
Sheila Mallet, who has lived in New Salem since 1971, said she voted against each of the four ballot questions.
“I didn’t really want to change anything right now,” she said outside the New Salem Town Hall Annex.
The town had 290 ballots cast by noon. Of those, 160 were early ballots.
Questions 2 and 3, meanwhile, pertained to the dental and liquor industries. If passed, Question 2 would regulate dental insurance rates by requiring companies to spend at least 83% of premiums on member dental expenses and quality improvements. Question 3 would require stores to accept out-of-state licenses as identification, restrict self-checkout, and increase the number of licenses any one retailer could have for the sale of alcoholic beverages.
For voters in the 1st Franklin and 1st Hampshire districts, an additional nonbinding question asked if there was support for a carbon tax that would be given back to residents in equitable ways as a cash-back dividend.
Shelburne had one extra ballot question in which voters were asked if they support adopting the Community Preservation Act, which would add a 3% surcharge on property taxes to fund projects focused on open space protection, historic preservation, affordable housing and outdoor recreation.
“I am a property owner and I am happy to give the 3%,” Shelburne resident Dennis Merritt commented.
With current Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s decision to not run for a fourth term, the highest statewide office in question was for governor. Trump-endorsed Geoff Diehl ran on the Republican ticket against state Attorney General Maura Healey on the Democratic ticket.
“The governor’s race is the most important issue this time around,” said Shelburne Democrat Meg Hawkins, who voted for Healey.
In Greenfield, Morton, who wore a shirt with Diehl’s name printed across it, stood outside Greenfield High School with an array of signs supporting Republican candidates.
“The Republicans in this election have a full slate of candidates who are all excellent,” he said.
U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, who ran for reelection against challenger Jeffrey Sossa-Paquette, joined his supporters at the polls in Greenfield on Tuesday.
“I don’t take anything for granted,” McGovern said. “I’m trying to hit as many places as I can and ask people for their vote. I want to go back to Washington to fight for our shared values.”
Democracy is on the ballot, McGovern said.
“A lot of Republican candidates are election deniers,” he said.
Among those were Diehl, running for governor, and secretary of state candidate Rayla Campbell, both of whom have backed Trump’s claim of fraud in the 2020 election.
Some party loyalists kept straight-ticket ballots for either all Democrats or all Republicans, while independents and other voters picked their candidates based on the campaigns the politicians mounted. Shelburne resident Ryan Hemingway, for example, said while he voted for all of the Republican candidates that ran, he voted “yes” on several ballot measures.
Campbell ran as the Republican candidate for secretary of state against incumbent William Galvin, who has been in office since 1995.
“She is spot on about supporting small businesses,” Shelburne resident Merritt said of Campbell. “But she is a MAGA candidate (a candidate that employs Trump rhetoric) so that overrides my vote.”
Merritt explained he voted a straight ticket for the Democratic Party for the first time, being opposed to far right-wing candidates seen on the ballot this election.
The Simons of Warwick said they voted “Democratic across the board” because they “don’t like the direction of conservative Republicans and what they stand for.”
Wendell resident Robert Leet said he felt there was a lot on the line this election.
“Not only democracy — I don’t take even civilization for granted, to tell you the truth,” Leet said.
A structural engineer and author who has lived in Wendell since 1978, Leet said he has voted for candidates from both major political parties in his life, but not on Tuesday.
“I really feel that there’s a danger with the Republican Party, specifically, not respecting democracy,” he said. “So, to me, even if I might agree with them on particulars, I can’t agree with their general stance and I just think any part I can do to chip away at their power, I’ll do that right now.”
Joe Fountain, who moved to Orange from Connecticut a little more than a year ago, said he voted “all blue … because I believe it’s the government’s job to do things that the private sector can’t, whether it’s military or helping poor people, education, health care. And I have serious misgivings about character issues on the other side.”
Mallet, in New Salem, said she voted Republican straight down the ballot.
“I voted all Republican because I don’t like what’s happening with the Democratic Party right now,” she said. “It’s turning toward more socialism, socialistic government. … I think they’re trying to take our freedom away. The freedom to vote, the freedom to make your own decisions.
“Like, Biden right now is saying he’ll veto anything and do it his way. I watch Fox News all the time,” she said. “He’s pushing way too much for solar (energy), and we’re not ready for that yet.”
Shelburne Town Clerk Joe Judd said he called in police to be at the town’s polling location for the day — a first for the town, he said.
“I think it is important we have police on duty during this election to make sure it is fair and safe,” he said.
By late morning, Judd said voter turnout had been exceptional, with an anticipated 1,000 ballots, or 65% of the voting population.
“It is always exciting on Election Day,” said Deerfield Town Clerk Carlene Hamlin, noting turnout numbers were about equal to what they were in 2018.
As of late morning, the town was averaging about 100 votes an hour, according to Hamlin.
“It’s sad to see the changing of the guards,” Hamlin said. “But I look forward to new leadership in the commonwealth.”
Greenfield Recorder intern Liesel Nygard contributed reporting from Warwick.