The presidential election that many describe as the most consequential election in generations will be settled next month, with a showdown between the Harris-Walz and Trump-Vance tickets. And it begins with two weeks of early voting, which started Saturday on the Island.
But it isn’t just former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris on the ballot. Likely drawing the most interest locally, there’s a contested race for the Martha’s Vineyard Commission. Also, Cape and Islands state Sen. Julian Cyr is facing two challengers — a Republican and an unenrolled contestant from the Island. And there are a number of congressional races and ballot questions to consider.
Commission race
There are 10 candidates running for nine seats on the Martha’s Vineyard Commission. But there’s a catch: No candidate is running to represent Aquinnah, at least on the ballot, and because of commission guidelines, there will be a vacant seat if there isn’t a write-in candidate. So that leaves eight seats for a pool of 10 running.
The commission also allows only up to two commissioners from one town, and both West Tisbury and Tisbury have more than two candidates running. Further complicating the picture, Trip Barnes is running a write-in campaign, having missed the deadline to be on the ballot. He is the fourth candidate from Tisbury.
Here are the candidates vying for a seat: Jeffrey Agnoli from Edgartown, Jay Grossman from Chilmark, Benjamin Robinson from Tisbury, Ernest Douglas Sederholm from West Tisbury, Linda Bauer Sibley from West Tisbury, Brian Conway Smith from Oak Bluffs, Michael Carson MacKenty from Edgartown, William Henry O’Brien from Tisbury, Mary Bernadette Budinger-Cormie from Tisbury, and Amy M. Upton from West Tisbury.
MacKenty, O’Brien, Budinger-Cormie, and Upton are newcomers to the commission races.
Ballot questions
There are several ballot questions for voters to consider, but probably the most discussed for the Island is Question 5. The question asks whether the minimum wage for tipped workers should be raised to the full Massachusetts minimum of $15 an hour. Employers would be allowed to administer a “tip pool” combining all tips paid by customers, and distributed to all employees, including “non-tipped employees.”
There’s been considerable opposition to the measure from those in the restaurant industry, including on the Island. Restaurant owners say the change would significantly increase operational costs, which could lead to layoffs and closures. And servers are concerned that it could disincentivize customers from tipping, and cut into their pay.
J.B. Blau, who owns the Year-Round Restaurant Group on Martha’s Vineyard, also pointed out that while the minimum wage for tipped workers is currently $6.75 an hour, restaurants are already required to make up the difference if a server’s hourly wage with tips does not meet $15 an hour.
“Yes on 5 is going to hurt everybody in the restaurant,” he said.
Still, some tipped workers say they don’t think the implementation of a new minimum wage wouldn’t heavily change customers’ tipping habits, or be as damaging to restaurants as some owners claim.
Among the other ballot questions, Question 1 asks whether the state auditor should have the power to audit the state legislature; Question 2 asks whether the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) should be eliminated as a requirement to graduate from high school in the state; Question 3 asks whether drivers with Uber and Lyft should have the option to form unions to negotiate wages, benefits, and working conditions; Question 4 asks whether individuals 21 and older should be allowed to use a limited amount of certain “natural psychedelic substances,” like psilocybin found in mushrooms, under licensed supervision.
Who else is on the ballot?
In the House of Representatives, Democratic incumbent Bill Keating will be defending his office against Republican Dan Sullivan.
In the Senate, Democratic incumbent Elizabeth Warren will be facing Republican John Deaton.
In the state Senate, incumbent Democrat Julian Cyr is facing Republican challenger Christopher Lauzon and unenrolled candidate Joe Van Nes.
Thomas Moakley, a Democrat, is the sole candidate for state Representative. Other uncontested races include incumbents T. George Davis and Paulo C. DeOliveira, running for clerk of courts and register of deeds, respectively.
There are also numerous candidates running to be a Dukes County commissioner. Tristan Israel from Tisbury, Donald Leopold from Chilmark, Douglas Ruskin from West Tisbury, Christine Catherine Todd from Oak Bluffs, Richard Wharton from Oak Bluffs, and Randal Scott Milch from Chilmark are running to be county commissioners. Milch is the only candidate who is not an incumbent.
Where to vote
Aquinnah
Early voting will take place at the Aquinnah Town Offices at 955 State Road.
Early voting:
Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 am to 1 pm.
Monday, Oct. 28, to Friday, Nov. 1, from noon to 2 pm.
Election Day voting will be held at Aquinnah Town Hall, also at 955 State Road.
Chilmark
Early voting will take place at Chilmark Town Hall on 401 Middle Road.
Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 to 11 am, and 3 to 5 pm.
Monday, Oct. 28, to Friday, Nov. 1, from 1 to 3 pm.
Election Day voting will be held at Chilmark Community Center on 520 South Road on Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 7 am to 8 pm.
Edgartown
All in-person voting at the polls will take place at Edgartown Town Hall at 70 Main St.
Early voting:
Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Monday, Oct. 28, to Friday, Nov. 1, from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Oak Bluffs
Early voting will take place at Oak Bluffs Town Hall at 56 School St.
Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 am to 5 pm.
Monday, Oct. 28, to Friday, Nov. 1, from 9 am to 4 pm.
Election Day voting will be held at the Oak Bluffs Public Library meeting room at 56R School St.
Tisbury
All in-person voting at the polls will take place at the Tisbury Emergency Services Facility at 215 Spring St.
Early voting:
Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 am to 5 pm.
Monday, Oct. 28, to Friday, Nov. 1, from noon to 4 pm.
West Tisbury
All in-person voting at the polls will take place at the West Tisbury Public Safety Building at 454 State Road.
Early voting:
Saturday, Oct. 26, from 9 am to 5 pm.
Monday, Oct. 28, to Friday, Nov. 1, from 8 to 11 am.
