ho cares about presidential and US Senate elections when the end of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority's toll booths might be at hand?
With Vice President Al Gore seemingly headed for an easy victory in the Bay State - so, too, with US Senator Edward M. Kennedy - much of the focus of this year's election has turned to the nine or 10 ballot initiatives (depending on where you live) that voters will decide upon.
Those questions range from reductions in the state's income-tax rate to abolishing dog racing. Other measures would allow people caught with some amounts of drugs to receive counseling, rather than jail time, and create a state-tax deduction for charitable contributions.
But the one proposal capturing the most attention for Boston's west suburban residents would give turnpike commuters a full tax credit for every cent they hand over to toll takers.
The initiative, which supporters say would ultimately drive a stake through the turnpike authority, would also abolish the state's excise tax. That fee is collected every year by each community, at a rate of $25 for every $1,000 a resident's car is valued.
A poll released last week by the University of Massachusetts shows notable support of the initiative, with 42 percent of those asked saying they favor the plan, and 30 percent against. Yet 28 percent of those responding said they were undecided as of yet, and the poll had a 5 percent margin of error.
In addition to the ballot questions, there are a slew of races for US Congress, state representative, state senate, and various county seats.
Below is a community-by-community breakdown of the ballots, excluding the statewide races and ballot questions.
NEEDHAM
Three candidates are vying for the 9th Congressional District seat. Longtime incumbent John Joseph Moakley, a Boston Democrat, is taking on Westwood Republican Janet T. Jeghelian and David A. Rosa of Taunton, who is not affiliated with any party.
For state senator, incumbent Cheryl A. Jacques, a Needham Democrat, squares off against Earl Henry Sholley, a Republican from North Attleboro.
In the battle for state representative, Lida Harkins, a Needham Democrat, the incumbent, faces Sean E. Rickert, a Republican from Dover.
And Boston Democrat Kelly A. Timilty faces no oppostion for councilor of the 2nd District.
In county races, Daniel M. Dewey, a Quincy Republican, faces Walter F. Timilty, a Milton Democrat, in the clerk of court race. For register of deeds, Paul D. Harold, a Democrat from Quincy, faces Bruce Olsen, a Stoughton Republican. Harold is also currently chairman of the Quincy City Council.
For county commissioner, John M. Gillis, a Quincy Democrat, faces William P. O'Donnell, of Norwood, who is also a Democrat.
NEWTON
For Congress, incumbent Barney Frank, a Newton Democrat, will face David J. Euchner, a Millis Libertarian, and Martin D. Travis, a Raynham Republican.
Cynthia Stone Creem, the incumbent state senator from Needham, is running unopposed for her seat, as are state representatives Peter Koutoujian, a Democrat from Newton, Democrat Rachel Kaprielian of Newton and Ruth B. Balser, also a Democrat of Newton. But Newton Democrat Kay Khan faces a challenge from Jay A. Drapkin of Newton, who is not affliated with a party for the 12th Middlesex District's representative seat.
In the 3d District's councilor race, Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney, a Watertown Democrat, faces Barry T. Hutch of Marlborough, a member of the Whig party.
Newton voters will also weigh in on several county slots. Somerville Democrat Eugene C. Brune faces no opposition to become the Middlesex register of deeds, nor does Cambridge Democrat Edward J. Sullivan in his election as clerk of courts.
But for register of probate, Somerville Democrat John R. Buonomo takes on Lee Johnson, a Medford Republican, and Diane Poulos Harpell, an Acton independent.
And a nonbinding referendum asks voters if the Newton Board of Alderman should be reduced from 24 members to 16 members.
Another question asks voters to uphold a vote taken early this summer to renovate Newton North and Newton South high schools.
WALTHAM
Edward J. Markey, a Malden Democrat, is running unopposed for Congress.
In wards 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, and parts of 2 and 6, Steven Tolman is running unopposed for state Senate. But in the other wards, Susan Fargo, a Lincoln Democrat who is an incumbent state senator, faces Andrew B. Pryor, a Waltham Republican.
For state representative, Peter J. Koutoujian is running unopposed in the 10th Middlesex District, which comprises Waltham wards 5, 6, 8, and 9.
But in wards 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7, Daniel J. MacKenzie, a Libertarian, Michael R. Squillante, a Republican, and Thomas M. Stanley, a Democrat, are running for the 9th Middlesex District Seat. They each hail from Waltham.
For the 3d District seat for councilor, Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney, a Watertown Democrat, faces Barry T. Hutch, of Marlborough. He is a member of the Whig party.
In county races, Cambridge Democrat Edward J. Sullivan is running unopposed for Clerk of Courts, and there is only one candidate for register of deeds, Eugene C. Brune, a Somerville Democrat.
For register of probate, voters will decide between John R. Buonomo, a Somerville Democrat, Lee Johnson, a R-Medford Republican, and Diane Poulos Harpell of Acton, an independent.
WATERTOWN
Michael Capuano, a former Somerville mayor, is running unopposed for Congress.
Neither of Watertown's voices in the State House, state Representative Rachel Kaprielian or state Senator Steven A. Tolman, faces challengers.
The 3d District councilor's race is between Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney and Barry T. Hutch of Marlborough, a member of the Whig party.
For county seats, Edward J. Sullivan, a Cambridge Democrat, is running unopposed to become Middlesex's clerk of courts. Eugene C. Brune, a Somerville Democrat, is also unopposed in his bid to become register of deeds.
The only contested county race is for register of probate, which is between Somerville Democrat John R. Buonomo, Medford Republican Lee Johnson, and Diane Poulos Harpell of Acton, an independent.
WELLESLEY
Barney Frank, a Newton Democrat and a longtime incumbent congressman, faces two challengers, David J. Euchner, a Millis Libertarian, and Martin D. Travis of Raynham, a Republican.
State Senate incumbent Cynthia Stone Creem, a Needham Democrat, is unopposed. But incumbent state Senator Cheryl A. Jacques, a Needham Democrat, faces Earl Henry Sholley, a Republican from North Attleboro.
Also, incumbent state Representative John A. Locke, a Wellesley Republican, faces Dr. Lawrence R. Kaplan, a Democrat from Wellesley and former CEO of MetroWest Medical Center.
In the 2nd District councilor's seat, Kelly A. Timilty, a Boston Democrat, is running unopposed.
In Norfolk County races, Daniel M. Dewey of Quincy and Walter F. Timilty of Milton, both Democrats, square off for clerk of courts.
Paul D. Harold, a Quincy Democrat and president of that city's council, is vying for the register of deed seat against Bruce Olsen, a Stoughton Republican.
And John M. Gillis, another Quincy Democrat, is up against William P. O'Donnell, a Democrat from Norwood, for a county commissioner's seat.
WESTON
For Congress, incumbent Edward J. Markey, a Malden Democrat, is running unopposed.
As in Wellesley, state Representative John A. Locke, a Wellesley Republican, faces Dr. Lawrence R. Kaplan, the former head of the MetroWest Medical Center, who is a Wellesley Democrat.
In the state Senate contest, incumbent Susan C. Fargo, a Lincoln Democrat, and Andrew B. Pryor, a Waltham Republican, square off.
For the 3d District councilor's seat, Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney, a Watertown Democrat, is up against Barry T. Hutch of Marlborough, a member of the Whig Party.
In Middlesex district contests, Edward J. Sullivan, a Cambridge Democrat, is running unopposed for clerk of courts. Also unopposed is Eugene C. Brune, a Somerville Democrat who is running for the register of deeds.
But the register of probate race features John R. Buonomo, a Democrat from Somerville, against Lee Johnson, a Medford Republican, and Diane Poulos Harpell, an Independent candidate from Acton.
