In addition to the presidential race, there are numerous local races that will be decided on Election Day by voters in all six New England states.
In New Hampshire and Vermont there are governors' races on the ballot, and numerous U.S. Senate and House races and ballot measures are also being decided.
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Here's a state-by-state look at what to expect on Tuesday, Nov. 5:
MASSACHUSETTS:
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Massachusetts voters will cast ballots for president, Congress and the state Legislature in the Nov. 5 general election, as Democrats in the commonwealth look to continue their dominance in federal and state elections.
Massachusetts Democrats hold a so-called “trifecta” in state government, with a Democratic governor and strong majorities in the state Senate and House. Republicans control only about 12% of seats in the Legislature. Republicans have had success in the governor’s office, but that race is not on the ballot this year.
Topping the ballot this year is the race for president, where Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump will compete for 11 electoral votes. Massachusetts has gone Democratic every year since 1960, with the exception of Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. The state was the only one to vote for Sen. George McGovern against Richard Nixon in 1972.
This year, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren is standing for reelection, as are all nine Democratic U.S. House incumbents. All won their last elections by substantial margins. This year, five are uncontested.
Ballot issues may provide much of the drama in Massachusetts this year, with a proposal to increase the state tipped minimum wage for restaurant workers (Question 5), one to allow “digital” ride share drivers to unionize (Question 3), and another to drop a standardized test requirement to graduate from high school (Question 2). There are substantial backers on both sides of all these issues, and the questions don’t necessarily break cleanly across partisan lines. Democrat Hillary Clinton has endorsed a yes vote on the restaurant salaries question, according to the Boston Globe.
In addition, there is a proposal to allow people to grow their own psychedelic mushrooms under controlled conditions (Question 4) and another that would allow the state auditor to audit the state Legislature (Question 1). The latter was put on the ballot after Massachusetts courts ruled the auditor lacked jurisdiction to review the Legislature’s spending.
Massachusetts polls close at 8 p.m. and first votes come in quickly, but it often takes until after 11 p.m. to hit 50%. A small share of votes remain to be counted the day after Election Day. Mail ballots postmarked by Nov. 5 must be received by Nov. 8. That could be most relevant if the ballot questions are close at the end of election night.
Here’s a look at what to expect in the 2024 election in Massachusetts:
Poll closing time
8 p.m.
Presidential electoral votes
11 awarded to statewide winner.
Key races and candidates
President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Jill Stein (Green) and two others.
U.S. Senate: Warren (D) vs. John Deaton (R).
Ballot measures: Question 4 (legalize psychedelic substances).
Other races of interest
U.S. House, state Senate, state House, county commissioner, governor’s council, Question 1 (authorize the state auditor to audit the Legislature), Question 2 (remove MCAS tests as high school graduation requirement), Question 3 (allow transportation network drivers to unionize) and Question 5 (increase minimum wage of tipped employees).
Past presidential results
2020: Biden (D) 66%, Trump (R) 32%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 8 p.m.
Voter registration and turnout
Registered voters: 5,054,539 (as of Aug. 24, 2024). About 26% Democrats, 8% Republicans and 64% unenrolled.
Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 75% of registered voters.
Pre-Election Day voting
Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 65% of the total vote.
Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 45% of the total vote.
How long does vote-counting take?
First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 8:09 p.m.
By midnight: about 72% of total votes cast were reported.
NEW HAMPSHIRE:
New Hampshire has backed Democrats in seven of the last eight presidential elections, though it has been a battleground state in many of those years due to the tight margins of victory. Trump, who faces Harris and two third-party candidates, has won New Hampshire’s leadoff GOP primary three times but lost the state the past two general elections.
Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, faces former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, a Democrat, in the race to replace Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who isn’t seeking reelection after serving four terms.
There’s also an open seat in the 2nd Congressional District, where Democrat Maggie Goodlander faces Republican Lily Tang Williams. In the 1st District, Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas faces Republican Russell Prescott as he seeks a fourth term.
New Hampshire reports its vote at the township or ward level, not by county, and it counts the vast majority of its votes on election night. Each town or ward usually releases all of its results in a single update. Historically, less than one in 10 ballots in New Hampshire are cast before Election Day, as the state requires an excuse to vote absentee.
Here’s a look at what to expect in the 2024 election in New Hampshire:
Poll closing time
7 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., depending on the municipality.
Presidential electoral votes
4 awarded to statewide winner.
Key races and candidates
President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Jill Stein (Green).
Governor: Ayotte (R) vs. Craig (D) and one other.
1st Congressional District: Pappas (D) vs. Prescott (R).
2nd Congressional District: Goodlander (D) vs. Williams (R).
Other races of interest
State Senate, state House, Executive Council, Question 1 (raise judicial retirement age).
Past presidential results
2020: Biden (D) 53%, Trump (R) 45%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 10:54 p.m.
Voter registration and turnout
Registered voters: 890,518 (as of Sep. 30, 2024). About 29% Democrats, 34% Republican and 37% undeclared.
Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 72% of registered voters.
Pre-Election Day voting
Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 32% of the total vote.
Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 10% of the total vote.
How long does vote-counting take?
First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 7:22 p.m.
By midnight: about 63% of total votes cast were reported.
CONNECTICUT:
Connecticut voters will decide races for president, Congress and the state Legislature in the Nov. 5 general election, as well as a statewide ballot measure to expand voting options.
Harris, Trump and three third-party candidates will compete for the state’s seven electoral votes in the race to replace outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden.
Two-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Christopher Murphy faces a challenge from Republican Matthew Corey in a rematch of their 2018 contest. Two other candidates also are in the race. Five Democratic U.S. House incumbents are seeking reelection. The most closely contested race is the 5th Congressional District in western Connecticut, where incumbent Rep. Jahana Hayes faces a rematch with Republican George Logan, who narrowly lost to Hayes in 2022.
Democrats also are seeking to capture supermajorities in the state House and Senate to increase leverage for Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont.
Connecticut has voted for the Democratic candidate in the last eight presidential elections and is considered a safe bet for Harris this year. In 2020, Biden defeated Trump by a 20-point margin in the state.
Voters also will decide on a proposed “no excuse” absentee voting amendment that would authorize the state Legislature to allow any voter to request a mail-in ballot. Under current law, voters must have an excuse to request an absentee ballot.
Here’s a look at what to expect in the 2024 election in Connecticut:
Poll closing time
8 p.m.
Presidential electoral votes
7 awarded to statewide winner.
Key races and candidates
President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Jill Stein (Green) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
U.S. Senate: Murphy (D) vs. Corey (R) and two others.
5th Congressional District: Hayes (D) vs. Logan (R).
Ballot measures: Amendment - 1 (expand absentee voting).
Other races with AP vote reports and winner calls
U.S. House, state Senate and state House.
Past presidential results
2020: Biden (D) 59%, Trump (R) 39%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 8 p.m.
Voter registration and turnout
Registered voters: 2,464,919 (as of Oct. 31, 2022). About 36% Democrats, about 20% Republicans, about 42% unaffiliated.
Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 72% of registered voters.
Pre-Election Day voting
Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 37% of the total vote.
Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 12% of the total vote.
How long does vote-counting take?
First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 8:11 p.m.
By midnight: about 37% of total votes cast were reported.
MAINE:
Two things to know when it comes to Maine and Election Day: it’s one of two states that uses ranked choice voting and one of two states that allocates its electoral votes by both statewide vote and congressional district.
What is ranked choice voting? In short, if no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the candidate with the fewest number of votes is eliminated, and voters who chose that candidate as their top pick have their votes redistributed to their next choice. The process is repeated until one candidate has a majority of votes.
Along with Nebraska, Maine is one of two states that awards some of its electoral votes by congressional district rather than winner-takes-all. The winner of the statewide popular vote in Maine gets two electoral votes, and the state has favored Democratic presidential candidates since 1992. The state’s remaining electoral votes are awarded based on the vote in each of Maine’s two congressional districts.
In 2016 and 2020, the Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary Clinton and Biden, won the statewide vote and the vote in the 1st Congressional District. Trump won the 2nd Congressional District in both years.
Also on the ballot this year:
Independent U.S. Sen. Angus King, who caucuses with Democrats, faces a challenge in his bid for reelection from Democrat David Costello, Republican Demi Kouzounas and independent Jason Cherry. King was first elected to the Senate in 2012.
In the 2nd Congressional District, Democratic Rep. Jared Golden faces a competitive challenge from Republican Austin Theriault in his bid for a fourth term. The last time Golden ran for reelection in a presidential year, he received 53% of the district vote, while Trump received 52% in the presidential race.
Here’s a look at what to expect in the 2024 election in Maine:
Poll closing time
8 p.m.
Presidential electoral votes
Four total, including two awarded to the statewide winner and one each awarded to the winner of each of the state’s congressional districts.
Key races and candidates
President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Jill Stein (Green) vs. Cornel West.
U.S. Senate: King (independent) vs. Costello (D) vs. Kouzounas (R) vs. Cherry (independent).
2nd Congressional District: Jared Golden (D) v. Austin Theriault (R).
Ballot measures: Question 5 (restore former state flag).
Other races of interest
U.S. House, state Senate, state House and Sagadahoc County sheriff.
Past presidential results
2020 (statewide): Biden (D) 53%, Trump (R) 44%, AP race call: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, 3:05 a.m.
2020 (2nd District): Trump (R) 52%, Biden (D) 45%.
Voter registration and turnout
Registered voters: 1,152,446 (as of July 8, 2024). About 34% Democrats, 28% Republicans and 32% independent.
Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 72% of registered voters.
Pre-Election Day voting
Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 63% of the total vote.
Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 36% of the total vote.
How long does vote-counting take?
First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 8:16 p.m.
By midnight: about 56% of total votes cast were reported.
RHODE ISLAND:
Haris and Trump will compete for Rhode Island’s four electoral votes in the Nov. 5 general election. Rhode Island voters will also cast ballots for Congress, the state Legislature, several ballot measures and mayoral races.
Biden carried the state in 2020 with 59% of the vote.
Also on the ballot are several independent and third-party candidates, including Green Party nominee Jill Stein and Robert F. Kennedy, who dropped out of the race in August and endorsed Trump. Rhode Island has been reliably Democratic in presidential contests for most of the last 64 years. Richard Nixon in 1972 and Ronald Reagan in 1984 were the only Republican presidential candidates to win there since 1960.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse faces a challenge from Republican Patricia Morgan in his bid for a fourth term. Whitehouse was reelected in 2018 with 61% of the vote. Republicans are also trying to oust Democrats who hold both of Rhode Island’s U.S. House seats. The last Republican to hold a U.S. Senate or House seat in Rhode Island was Lincoln Chaffee, who lost to Whitehouse in 2006 but won the governorship four years later as an independent.
Further down the ballot, voters will decide if Rhode Island should hold a constitutional convention to consider amendments and revisions to the state’s governing document.
Polls close in Rhode Island at 8 p.m. Absentee ballots can begin to be processed 20 days before the general election. In 2022, close to 30% of Rhode Island’s votes were advance ballots. Votes cast on Election Day are reported first, and mail and early-in-person votes are reported later in the night. More than 98% of the vote was counted on election night two years ago.
In races where 100,000 votes or more are cast, a trailing candidate in Rhode Island may request a recount if the margin is half a percentage point or 1,500 votes, whichever is less.
Here’s a look at what to expect in the 2024 election in Rhode Island:
Poll closing time
8 p.m.
Presidential electoral votes
4 awarded to statewide winner.
Key races and candidates
President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (independent) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Jill Stein (Green) and two others.
U.S. Senate: Whitehouse (D) vs. Morgan (R).
Other races of interest
U.S. House, state Senate, state House, mayors and ballot measures.
Past presidential results
2020: Biden (D) 59%, Trump (R) 39%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 8 p.m.
Voter registration and turnout
Registered voters: 789,035 (as of Oct. 2024). About 38% Democrats, 14% Republicans and 48% independent.
Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 66% of registered voters.
Pre-Election Day voting
Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 61% of the total vote.
Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 29% of the total vote.
How long does vote-counting take?
First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 8:11 p.m.
By midnight: about 52% of total votes cast were reported.
VERMONT:
Vermont voters will cast ballots for a full slate of federal and state offices in the Nov. 5 general election, including the president, a U.S. senator, the governor and seats in the state Legislature.
Harris and Trump are on the ballot, along with seven third-party candidates. Among them is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump.
Trump lost Vermont's Republican presidential primary in March to former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley. It was one of just two primaries he lost this year. The other was in the District of Columbia.
In the U.S. Senate race, Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, is running for a fourth term. He won more than 67% of the vote in 2018 and is heavily favored in this year’s race against five opponents, including Republican Gerald Malloy.
Vermont elects its governor every two years. Incumbent Phil Scott, a Republican who first won the office in 2016, faces Democrat Esther Charlestin and three others in his fight for reelection. Scott was first elected in 2016. If no gubernatorial candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the race goes to the state Legislature to decide.
The state has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate since 1992. Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton each won the state — and its three electoral votes — by more than 60%.
As of October, there were more than 505,000 registered voters in Vermont. The state does not register residents by party.
All registered voters in Vermont are sent an absentee ballot. In the 2020 presidential race, 280,455 absentee ballots were cast, representing 76% of the vote. The absentee total dropped to 67% in the 2022 midterm elections.
There are more than 200 towns and cities in the state. Like most of New England, Vermont releases its election votes at this level, which could slow down counting.
Here’s a look at what to expect in the 2024 election in Vermont:
Poll closing time
7 p.m.
Presidential electoral votes
3 awarded to statewide winner.
Key races and candidates
President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (We the People) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Cornel West (People's Justice) and two others.
U.S. Senate: Sanders (I) vs. Malloy (R) and four others.
Governor: Scott (R) vs. Charlestin (D) and three others.
Other races of interest
U.S. House, state Senate, state House, attorney general, auditor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and treasurer.
Past presidential results
2020: Biden (D) 66%, Trump (R) 31%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 7 p.m.
Voter registration and turnout
Registered voters: 505,549 (as of Oct. 1, 2024).
Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 73% of registered voters.
Pre-Election Day voting
Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 76% of the total vote.
Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 67% of the total vote.
How long does vote-counting take?
First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 7:24 p.m.
By midnight: about 94% of total votes cast were reported.
