Early voting starts in Mass. this weekend NBC Boston [Video]

In towns and cities across Massachusetts, election workers are waiting with anticipation. Early voting begins Saturday and serves as the first in-person chance for Bay Staters to make their voices heard.

Voting booths, ballots and volunteers all in position ready for the expected voting rush.

“In the beginning and the end, it’s kind of, there’s the rushes,” said Newton Election Supervisor John Doyle. “We definitely expect a lot of people tomorrow.”

But it’s just one piece of the overall system. Voting by mail is well underway, with Newton workers having seen thousands of ballots returned.

“I would think there were around 11,000 or 12,000,” Doyle said. “We’ve been getting a lot back the last few days.”

Massachusetts Secretary of State Bill Galvin believes those totals will only grow.

“We’ve already sent out over 1.2 million ballots for this election. They’re now being returned,” said Galvin.

A variety of voting options …