Political Notes: State reports record turnout in state primary

By Geoff Spillane

Posted Sep 14, 2020 

BOSTON — Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin reports a record number of voters cast ballots in the state’s Sept. 1 primary elections.

In total, 1,706,992 voters cast ballots, surpassing the previous voter turnout record set during the 1990 primaries.

More than 1.4 million voted in the Democratic primary, while nearly 273,000 ballots were cast in the Republican primary.

Galvin’s office also advised voters to keep an eye on their mailbox in the coming days for a vote-by-mail application for the Nov. 3 general election.

Applications are not being mailed to voters who have already applied.

The vote-by-mail applications are postage prepaid and preaddressed to each voter’s local election office.

Ballots are expected to start being mailed by the first week of October.

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U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., returned to Cape Cod for the second time in less than three weeks Saturday afternoon.

Nearly 100 people gathered on the Falmouth Village Green to hear Markey endorse the reelection bid of state Sen. Susan Moran, D-Falmouth, in the Plymouth & Barnstable District.

“We’ve got one of the great leaders that we could ever produce in this state ready to go up and serve for Falmouth, Sandwich, Kingston, Pembroke and Plymouth,” said Markey, whose 10-minute address was heavy on climate and environmental issues.

“And we need everyone to come together to organize — not agonize, organize — so that Sue wins,” he added. “We cannot have a Republican going to the state Senate from Massachusetts in 2020. If we want to keep our oceans blue, we have to make sure that our political system is blue.”

The district also includes the town of Bourne.

Markey defeated U.S. Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III in the Democratic primary earlier this month. He now faces Republican challenger Kevin O’Connor in the Nov. 3 general election.

Moran faces a rematch with Republican James “Jay” McMahon III, of Bourne, in the general election.

Before a campaign swing through the Cape in late August Markey had not visited the region since January.

McMahon on Monday announced he would not be taking any campaign donations from lobbyists, challenging Moran to return any lobbyist donations she may have received.

In a statement, McMahon contends Moran has received more than $7,000 from lobbyists and family members of lobbyists.

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Barnstable County Commissioner Ronald Beaty Jr. issued a news release early Saturday — at 1:59 a.m. — that has raised some eyebrows throughout the region.

Beaty, a Republican who is seeking a second term in the Nov. 3 election, proposes renaming the Cape Cod National Seashore to “President Donald J. Trump National Seashore.”

Beaty asserts the renaming would attract increased federal and private funding to the Seashore for infrastructure upgrades, boost the Cape’s tourism economy and help mitigate the region’s white shark and seal overpopulation issues. He says he has been “inundated” with responses, some in favor and some opposed.

As a next step, Beaty is seeking a meeting with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, a federal body that operates within the U.S. Geological Survey as part of the Department of the Interior.

A spokesman for the agency says such a proposal is “easier said than done” and would require significant support by federal, state and local officials.

According to the bureau’s website, there must be a compelling reason to rename a natural feature and it may not be in honor of a living person.

″ A potential honoree must have been deceased for at least five years, and must have had either a direct and long-term association with the feature or must have made notable civic contributions,” the website states.

Democrat James Dever and Republican Steven Xiarhos will square off Nov. 3 to determine the successor to state Rep. Randy Hunt, R-Sandwich, in the 5th Barnstable District.

Both candidates received endorsements Monday.

Xiarhos has been endorsed by state Rep. Mathew Muratore, R-Plymouth, while Dever has secured the support of The Sierra Club.

The Falmouth Democratic Town Council will hold a public, hourlong “Conversation With State Senator Susan Moran” fundraiser and virtual meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Moran will be interviewed by Falmouth Select Board Chairwoman Megan English Braga and participants will have the opportunity to ask questions.

Contact scott_simenas@comcast.net to obtain meeting access information.

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The countdown is on: 48 days until the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

Here’s what some local elected officials were tweeting about on the 19th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks:

Barnstable County Sheriff James Cummings (@SheriffCummings):

“We shall never forget 9/11/01.”

State Rep. Dylan Fernandes (@RepDylan), D-Woods Hole:

“I’ll always remember our 6th grade class stopping and the teacher rolling in a TV & looking for news to try to make sense of the terror unfolding in front of us. I’ll always remember the confusion and helplessness. I’ll always remember the men and women who lost their lives.”

State Sen. Julian Cyr (@JulianCyr), D-Truro:

“In times of crisis, it’s the first responders, essential workers, and their families that are closest to the pain. Today I’m thinking of those who gave their lives on #September11. I’m also mindful of the sacrifices that these families are making in our response to COVID-19.”