Massachusetts Really Wants to Get This Election Over With

I Voted Photo by Denise Cross via Flickr/Creative Commons

And who can blame them?

The first-ever day of early voting in Massachusetts appears to have been a success. Polling stations were busy all morning on Monday, according to reports from all over the state.

“Many communities had lines when they opened this morning, and we’re quite pleased,” Secretary of State William Galvin tells the Globe. 

Voting overseers in Somerville, Watertown, and Milford tell the Herald that hundreds showed up to cast their votes.

“We anticipated we would have an early morning rush…and since then it’s a steady stream that keeps coming through, which is great,” Nicholas Salerno, Somerville Elections Department chairman tells the paper. “I sincerely hope it continues. The whole reason is to get more people to vote, to take the sting off the lines on Election Day. I hope it accomplishes those things.”

Polling places in Springfield reportedly logged more than 400 votes. “People were excited to be able to vote early,” says Springfield Election Commissioner Gladys Oyola, according to MassLive. “They were all smiles coming in.”

Lest they get bored standing in line in Cambridge, voters awaiting their turn to participate were greeted by “James Madison.”

Among those who voted early on Monday was Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.

“We continue to make things as easy as possible for people to get out so there’s no excuse,” Walsh told reporters after he cast his ballot at City Hall. “This year we have about 20,000 more registered voters than the last presidential election in 2012, and certainly every single vote matters.”

Want to join in (before November 4!), and put Election 2016 behind you? Here’s what to do and where to go.