Preliminary election to set the November ballot
Now that Labor Day has come and gone, the 2014 campaign season has officially kicked into high gear in advance of the Tuesday, Sept. 9 state primary election.
Television commercials that had appeared only sporadically over the summer are now broadcast in blocks, most notably during local news programs.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. in both Plympton and Halifax with absentee balloting already open to those who qualify.. Plympton voters cast ballots at the Town House grand meeting room and both Halifax precincts one and two vote in the Halifax Elementary School gymnasium.
Secretary of State William Galvin’s office expressed concern this week that less than 20 percent of voters will turnout Tuesday.
The contested races center on statewide offices with Democrats facing a three-way race for governor, lieutenant governor and treasurer and two-candidate contests for attorney general and Plymouth County register of probate. Republicans in both towns will choose between two candidates seeking the governor’s office and a three-way race for Plymouth County register of probate.
Republicans will also see a four-man contest for the nomination to face Democratic incumbent Rep. Bill Keating for the 9th Congressional District seat in November.
There are candidates listed for the towns’ representation on Beacon Hill, but no primary contests for the nomination in either party.
Candidates on the Democratic primary ballots are:
• Senator in Congress — Edward J. Markey
• Governor — Donald M. Berwick of Newton, current Attorney General Martha Coakley of Medford and current State Treasurer Steven Grossman of Newton.
• Lt. Governor — Cambridge City Councilor Leland Cheung, Stephen J. Kerrigan of Lancaster and Michael E. Lake of Boston.
• Attorney General — Former Asst. AG Maura Healy of Boston and former state Sen. Warren E. Tolman of Watertown.
• Secretary of State — Incumbent William F. Galvin of Boston.
• Treasurer — State Rep. Thomas P. Conroy of Wayland, state Sen. Barry Finegold of Andover and Deborah B. Goldberg of Brookline.
• Auditor — Incumbent Suzanne M. Bump of Great Barrington.
• Representative in Congress — Incumbent William R. Keating of Bourne.
• Councillor [Fourth District] — Incumbent Christopher Iannella of Boston.
• Senator in General Court [2nd Plymouth & Bristol] — Incumbent Thomas P. Kennedy of Brockton.
• Representative in General Court [12th Plymouth] — Incumbent Thomas J. Calter III of Kingston
• Register of Probate [Plymouth County] — Mark E. Linde of Brockton and Matthew J. McDonough of Marshfield.
• County Treasurer — Incumbent Thomas J. O’Brien of Kingston.
• County Commissioner — Scott M. Vecchi of Plymouth.
Candidates on the Republican primary ballots are:
• Senator in Congress — Brian J. Herr of Hopkinton.
• Governor — Charles D. Baker of Swampscott and Mark R. Fisher of Shrewsbury.
• Lt. Governor — Karyn E. Polito of Shrewsbury.
• Attorney General — John B. Miller of Winchester.
• Secretary of State — Malden City Councilor David D’Arcangelo.
• Treasurer — Michael James Heffernan of Wellesley.
• Auditor — Patricia S. Saint Aubin of Norfolk.
• Representative in Congress — Mark C. Alliegro of Falmouth, John C. Chapman of Chatham, Vincent A. Cogliano Jr., of Pembroke and Daniel L. Shores of Sandwich.
• Senator in General Court [2nd Plymouth & Bristol] — Viola A. Ryerson of Hanover.
• District Attorney — Incumbent Timothy J. Cruz of Marshfield.
• Register of Probate [Plymouth County] — R. Andrew Burbine of Abington, Anthony T. O’Brien Sr., of Pembroke and Joseph M. Truschelli of Plymouth.
• County Commissioner — Sandra M. Wright of Bridgewater.