As Election Day Nears, More Than 20 Percent of Town Has Already Voted

More than 21 percent of the town’s 10,517 registered voters have already cast their ballots ahead of Tuesday’s state election.

Town Clerk Bridget Rodrigue reported in an email last Tuesday, “We have checked in 2,272 ballots voted both by mail and in person.”

Early voting ended Friday at 1 p.m. at Town Hall. And there are hundreds of potential mail-in votes; Rodrigue wrote, “We have mailed out 3,904 votes by mail/absentee ballots.”

The polls at John Glenn Middle School will be open Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are no classes at the middle school on Election Day; it is a professional development day for faculty.

There are no local contests on the ballot; Democratic State Rep. Ken Gordon and State Sen. Mike Barrett are unopposed. For the first time in a general election, a small segment on the eastern extremity of Bedford, contiguous to Lexington, is part of the 5^th Congressional District. The remainder of the town remains in the 6^th District.

Besides legislative, Congressional, and the six constitutional offices, the ballot features the offices of district attorney, sheriff, and Governor’s Councilor. There are also four ballot questions.

Rodrigue reported that her office is fully staffed and has not encountered problems as it prepares not only for Tuesday’s election but also for the Nov. 14 special town meeting.