Massachusetts Voters Cast Ballots in High-Profile State Primaries

Registered voters in Massachusetts cast ballots on September 1, 2026, to select party nominees for the November midterm elections. The most prominent contest is the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate, where incumbent Ed Markey, backed by progressives Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, faces a challenge from U.S. Representative Seth Moulton. The campaigns have focused heavily on the theme of generational change in Washington.

In the race for governor, incumbent Maura Healey runs unopposed on the Democratic ballot. The Republican primary features former biotech executive Mike Minogue and former MBTA General Manager Brian Shortsleeve. Minogue entered the primary as the frontrunner, having secured 71% of the vote at the state party convention.

Other significant contests include a wide-open Democratic primary for the 6th Congressional District to succeed Moulton, where Dan Koh leads in fundraising with endorsements from Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. At the state level, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu endorsed challengers Latoya Gayle and Daniel Lander against incumbent state senators Nick Collins and Will Brownsberger.

Secretary of State Bill Galvin reported that over 500,000 ballots were cast via mail and early voting before Tuesday. While registered party members were required to vote in their own primaries, unenrolled or independent voters were permitted to choose which primary to enter. Some Republican lieutenant governor candidates were forced to run as write-ins after being removed from the ballot due to fraudulent signature petitions.