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New from CommonWealth Beacon |
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AFFORDABILITY WOES: Heading into an election season in which “affordability” is the defining issue, a majority of Bay Staters agree that Massachusetts is a better place to live than most other states and, simultaneously, that it remains too expensive, according to newly released polling data. Chris Lisinski has more. |
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OPINION: The decision to bypass a traditional community engagement and outreach process represents a missed opportunity for a collaborative journey between the city of Boston and local residents that delivers a White Stadium molded by a shared sense of place and unified sense of purpose, writes Scott Farmelant, principal consultant and owner of Boston Strategic Communications. |
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UNEMPLOYMENT WOES: Problems within the state’s unemployment assistance system predated the upheaval that CommonWealth Beacon documented this year, according to a new report from Auditor Diana DiZoglio that warned of slow payments and long call center waits. Jordan Wolman reports on the new findings and the ongoing lack of any legislative response. |
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It's election season in Massachusetts, and that means officials, experts, and strategists alike are keeping a watchful eye on voter turnout. |
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Statewide turnout in the September 1 primary election hit nearly 23 percent — the highest it’s been in a midterm election year since 2006. It’s a promising outcome, suggesting the Bay State could ultimately see higher voter turnout on November 3 than in previous election years. After all, this year’s ballot will feature an unusually high number of widely debated ballot questions, as well as other high-profile races. |
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But cities like Worcester — where the poverty rate is twice as high as the state’s — may still have trouble getting people to the polls this November. The city’s turnout in this month’s primary was just over 15 percent, though it was a notable increase from the city’s 11.5 percent turnout in the 2024 primary. |
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During the 2022 midterms, Worcester County’s voter turnout was 51 percent, which mirrored the state average. But, only 38 percent of voters turned out to vote in Worcester, even though it was a year in which the governor was on the ballot. That same year, Worcester had the lowest voter registration rate in the county at 66 percent, while the state’s voter registration rate was 86 percent. |
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Gateway Cities — some of the state’s most disadvantaged and diverse urban communities — consistently have some of the lowest voter turnout rates in Massachusetts. In 2022, nine of the 10 municipalities with the lowest voter turnout in the state were Gateway Cities, with rates ranging from just 23 percent in Lawrence to 35 percent in Lynn. |
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The phenomenon is hardly unique to Massachusetts’s low-income cities. A 2023 report published by the Pew Research Center found that those who are least likely to vote are younger, more racially and ethnically diverse, and have received less formal education than likely voters. Research consistently shows that those with higher incomes also vote at higher rates than those with lower incomes. That discrepancy translates to more affluent people and communities having more of a say in who gets elected. |
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Ahead of the state election this fall, civic organizations in Central Massachusetts and beyond are grappling with how to solve this persistent problem, and how to increase turnout among those who face countless barriers to civic participation. |
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“We often hear that these voters are disengaged or not particularly interested in politics. I think people need to be careful about saying those things,” said Shanique Rodriguez, executive director of the nonprofit Massachusetts Voter Table, which works to increase voter turnout in Boston and the Gateway Cities. “The people who are least likely to vote are often the people who are most affected by decisions made through policy.” |
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More from CommonWealth Beacon |
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NEW CODCAST: How does organized labor decide to put its significant muscle toward direct democracy? On this week’s episode of The Codcast, host Jennifer Smith dives into that timely question with Chrissy Lynch, head of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and Nick Juravich, a professor and associate director of UMass Boston’s Labor Resource Center. |
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JOB LOSSES: Massachusetts employers shed 7,100 jobs in August, a less-than-stellar showing that could give Republicans traction in the next six weeks of election season as they criticize the state’s economic performance under Gov. Maura Healey. Katie Castellani reports for State House News Service. |
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| Massachusetts is growing and reliable energy helps make that growth possible. National Grid is investing in the energy infrastructure that powers our homes and businesses, while supporting new housing, new jobs, and economic growth across the Commonwealth. | In Massachusetts, it all starts with safe, reliable energy. |
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BEACON HILL: Blaming President Trump’s war on Iran for increased energy costs, Gov. Maura Healey on Tuesday proposed a two-month suspension of the state’s 24-cent-per-gallon gas tax. (WBUR) |
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EDUCATION: More than six years after the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts students continue to lag behind pre-pandemic levels in both English language arts and math, according to the latest MCAS results released Tuesday. (GBH News) |
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MIKE MINOGUE HEADS TO PROPAGANDA RAG FOR COVERAGE!
GOVERNOR’S RACE: Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue took his campaign to the State House Tuesday to publicly call on US Attorney Leah Foley to open an investigation into the $2 billion state contract for a new courthouse in Springfield, awarded to politically connected bidders. (Boston Herald – paywall)
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ENERGY: A South Shore heating and air conditioning contractor is accused of defrauding Massachusetts ratepayers of nearly $8 million in Mass Save funds by improperly pocketing rebates for heat pumps that were never installed, installed improperly, or installed and later removed. (The Boston Globe – paywall) |
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AI: The last few weeks have been "a tipping point" in the world of artificial intelligence, US Rep. Lori Trahan said Tuesday as warnings mount in Massachusetts and lawmakers juggle various viewpoints in the midst of regulatory negotiations. (State House News Service – paywall) |
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