Polls Open in Cambridge for 2026 Democratic Primary

The polls have officially opened in Cambridge for the Massachusetts state primary, giving voters a final chance to cast their ballots in contested races across the city.

Polling locations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., as candidates carry out their final bids to secure votes across their districts.

Thousands of votes in the city have already been collected through a week of early voting and mail-in ballots. After early voting closed Friday night, the Cambridge Election Commission banked 7,933 ballots — including 1,912 in-person early votes and 6,021 mail-in ballots.

In-person early voting numbers more than doubled this year, after 893 early ballots were cast in 2024. While early voting increased, the number of mail-in ballots requested dropped — from nearly 17,000 to just over 12,000.

For Cambridge voters, the ballot is more crowded than it has been in recent years. Across the city’s various districts, voters will weigh in on 11 contested races, including several closely watched contests for seats on Beacon Hill.

In the 25th Middlesex District, where incumbent state Rep. Marjorie C. Decker hopes to defend her seat in a rematch against Evan C. MacKay ’19, more than 3,000 ballots had already been banked ahead of Election Day.

Nearly 2,000 additional mail-in ballots have been requested and had not been returned by the Friday evening count, in the 25th Middlesex District, which lies entirely in Cambridge, according to the Cambridge Election Commission.

(Follow live results and race calls here.)