| | | | |  | | By Kelly Garrity | Presented by Mass General Brigham | VOTING VACAY — Making Election Day a state holiday? Most Massachusetts residents are on board, according to a new UMass/WCVB poll. Seventy-two percent of the 700 people surveyed between Oct. 3 and 10 (margin of error: +/- 4.8 percent) said they favored giving Bay Staters the day off to hit the polls. A few states have already made the move. And even more have laws requiring employers to provide some paid time off so workers can vote — though Massachusetts isn’t one of them. Bills to make the change have popped up in the Legislature, but haven’t made it through the process. Supporters say adding Election Day as a holiday would increase turnout, which has hovered around 75 percent during presidential election years and around 55 percent during the midterms in recent years in Massachusetts (it’s much lower in the September primaries), per data from the secretary of state’s office. But, people don’t want a mandate — slightly more respondents said they oppose requiring voting for anyone eligible than those in favor. Making Election Day a holiday isn’t the only voting reform that has majority support: 64 percent said they support same-day voter registration, while 73 percent are in favor of allowing people to register to vote and cast their ballot during the early voting period. And 63 percent of those polled support requiring voters to show IDs before heading into the ballot booth. That may be welcome news to the organizers behind the effort to put the change on Massachusetts’ ballots this year. Organizers filed several versions of the question and got early approval from the attorney general’s office, but ultimately couldn’t collect the needed signatures in time. GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. 2026 may be a ways away, but we have an early look at how Gov. Maura Healey stacks up against some Republicans in hypothetical gubernatorial match-ups. Healey held a lead over all of the potential GOP picks, including former Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and former state Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy. But support for the governor — who has yet to say if she’s running for reelection — didn’t crack 50 percent in any of the hypothetical races, and many said they didn’t know who they’d support. TODAY — Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu attend a ribbon cutting for the new CarGurugs headquarters at 10:30 a.m. in Boston. Wu joins GBH News CEO Susan Goldberg for a conversation at the Climate Beacon conference at 12:30 p.m.; Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the conference at 5 p.m. in Boston. Wu presents an award at the 10th annual Mothers Against Violence conference at 1:45 p.m. in Brookline and hosts another town hall on her property tax shift proposal at 5:30 p.m. in Charlestown. Attorney General Andrea Campbell accepts the Elder Justice Advocacy Award at the Boston Senior Home Care’s gala at 6:30 p.m. in Boston. State Auditor Diana DiZoglio speaks at a luncheon at the Rotary Club of Melrose at noon in Melrose and attends the Boston Arts Academy honors reception at 5 p.m. in Boston. Rep. Seth Moulton holds a Sixth District Constituent Services Fair at 3 p.m. in Beverly. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and John Deaton debate at 7 p.m. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com.
| | | | A message from Mass General Brigham: At Mass General Brigham, we harness the collective strength of our healthcare system to provide research-driven cancer care for the patients and communities we serve. Mass General Brigham is number one in hospital medical research. We perform the most cancer surgeries and have the most cancer specialists in New England. We have the region’s only proton therapy center and provide access to more than 1,000 clinical trials annually. We’re one against cancer. Learn more. | | | |  | DATELINE BEACON HILL | | — “Mass. Voters Face Least Competitive Legislative Landscape,” by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service (paywall): “In its latest biennial report assessing state legislative competition, Ballotpedia dubbed Massachusetts as home to the most uncompetitive state House and Senate races among states with contests this fall, pointing to few incumbents who faced primary challengers and the country's lowest rate of races with both Democrats and Republicans on the ballot.” — “Deal provides 'automatic' discounts on utility bills,” by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: “Hundreds of thousands of low-income Massachusetts residents will be getting an ‘automatic’ break on their utility bills under a deal between the Healey administration and the state’s power companies. The agreement, announced on Wednesday, is aimed at making it easier for people who are on MassHealth, receiving food stamps and other welfare benefits for the poor, elderly or disabled, to get discounts on bills that have been offered by utility companies for years but are not reaching everyone who qualifies, officials say.”
| | FROM THE HUB | | TAX TALKS — People packed into a West Roxbury school Wednesday night to hear Boston Mayor Michelle Wu pitch her property tax shift proposal that’s stuck on Beacon Hill. A handful of residents took the mic to ask questions (or lodge complaints) about the plan, and Wu, with time ticking before tax bills go out, urged attendees to lobby their state lawmakers. More from the BBJ.
| | PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES | | — “Report finds subway car that derailed near Boston was traveling 36 mph in 10 mph zone,” by Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press: “A subway train that derailed near Boston earlier this month had entered a 10-mph zone traveling at 36 mph, according to an initial report from the National Transportation Safety Board released Wednesday. The Green Line train that left Lechmere Station in Cambridge and entered the zone at more than three times the posted limit passed through a double red signal that requires a stop and reached a switch that was still moving to direct the train to a diverging track, according to the report.”
| | BALLOT BATTLES | | — “Healey opposes ballot questions on tipped wage increase, MCAS grad requirement,” by Katie Lannan, GBH News: “Gov. Maura Healey said Wednesday she’s voting no on a ballot question that would change the pay structure for tipped employees out of concern it would lead to restaurant closures. It’s a stance the governor says is informed by both her conversations with restaurant industry personnel and her own experience waiting tables in her teens and 20s.”
| | | | A message from Mass General Brigham:   | | | | | YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS | | ROUND 2 — It’s debate day, again. New England Public Media and GBH News are hosting tonight’s debate between Sen. Elizabeth Warren and John Deaton. Watch it here starting at 7 p.m. GBH is also out with sit downs with Warren and Deaton. — “Divided towns, rumor mills, and rising costs: How immigration is changing the political landscape in Mass.,” by Samantha J. Gross and Matt Stout, The Boston Globe: “The proliferation of new shelters in towns and cities across the state, the mounting taxpayer cost — these developments have pushed concerns about immigration to the fore of voters’ minds, slashed deep divides into close-knit communities, and dragged candidates and policy makers to the right on an issue that not so long ago felt distant for many in Massachusetts.” CASH DASH — Monica Tranel, a former Olympic rower and lawyer who’s running in a rematch against Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke in Montana’s first congressional district, will be one of the thousands of rowers competing in the Head of the Charles River regatta this weekend. But first, she's holding a fundraiser in Boston tonight alongside Rep. Lori Trahan, according to the invite. — “Elizabeth Warren, John Deaton follow cordial debate with attack ads,” by Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald. — “David Rosa challenges Paul Mark for state Senate seat,” by Domenic Poli: “An eastern Massachusetts man is trying to unseat the Democratic state senator who represents 57 communities throughout Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties. David Rosa, a Republican from the Bristol County town of Dighton, is running against incumbent state Sen. Paul Mark, a Becket Democrat, in the Nov. 5 election. Rosa said he threw his hat in the ring because he feels Mark is ‘a rubberstamper for the Democratic Party right now.’” WHAT CHAIM BLOOM ISN’T READING — One for the Sox fans from the UMass/WCVB poll: Massachusetts residents don’t blame Red Sox manager Alex Cora for the team missing playoffs. A plurality (46 percent) said they didn’t know who should be considered responsible, while 21 percent blamed the players and 20 percent faulted Red Sox owner John Henry. Only 8 percent said Cora was to blame.
| | DAY IN COURT | | — “Worcester defense lawyer Stuart Hurowitz nominated for District Court judgeship,” by Brad Petrishen, Telegram & Gazette: “Longtime Worcester defense lawyer Stuart Hurowitz is one of two lawyers nominated Wednesday to be state District Court judges. … Hurowitz, 56, has been the supervising attorney of the Worcester office of the Massachusetts Committee for Public Counsel Services, which provides criminal defense for indigent people, for more than a decade.” — “Law firm for Steward Health Care awarded $36 million in bankruptcy case,” by Aaron Pressman, The Boston Globe: “Lawyers for Steward Health Care were awarded more than $36 million — or more than $420,000 per day in fees — for their work on the first three months of the company’s bankruptcy case.”
| | IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN | | — “Lamont, Healey take different approaches on offshore wind,” by Bruce Mohl, CommonWealth Beacon.
| | KENNEDY COMPOUND | | — “President Biden, former presidents pay tribute to Ethel Kennedy at celebration of life held in Washington, D.C.,” by Travis Andersen and Jeremy C. Fox, The Boston Globe.
| | THE LOCAL ANGLE | | — “Scorn and rejection for Worcester GOP group's bid for change in candidate process,” by Marco Cartolano, Telegram & Gazette: “Worcester Republican City Committee Chair Mary Ann Carroll requested draft documentation to amend the city charter to require 2025 municipal candidates to be U.S. citizens and for potential candidates not born within the U.S. or its territories to submit naturalization papers or other legal documents at the city clerk's office. The petition was submitted on behalf of the Worcester Republican City Committee and it quickly earned online scorn from a few councilors, the state Democratic Party and the Worcester Democratic City Committee.” — “New program in Chelsea aims to bring affordable healthcare to underserved,” by Mark Herz, GBH News. — “$50K sought at Bourne town meeting for high-tech search for Wampanoag burial sites,” by Paul Gately, Cape Cod Times: “Voters who like autumnal spending will enjoy the Oct. 21 fall special town meeting, but they will not be asked to pay $1.5 million to buy Spencer’s Garden Center in Monument Beach, where a new southside firehouse was being considered for construction. The Select Board on Oct. 1 dropped the request from the warrant after Town Administrator Marlene McCollem described poor percolation test results and showings of fertilizer and landscaping chemicals in the soil at Spencer’s at 171 Clay Pond Road. The property remains for sale.” — “Council debates mayor's plan to appoint Lawrence School Committee members,” by Jill Harmacinski, The Eagle-Tribune.
| | MEANWHILE IN RHODE ISLAND | | — “Magaziner not living in 2nd Congressional District, despite campaign promises,” by Tim White, WPRI: “When Congressman Seth Magaziner walked into his polling place to vote in last month’s primary election, he did not see his own name on the ballot. That’s because the 41-year-old Democrat is not living in Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District — which he has represented for nearly two years — despite pledging to move his family there during his successful campaign for the seat in 2022.”
| | HEARD ‘ROUND THE BUBBLAH | | HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to retired Amherst state Rep. Ellen Story and Marcus Gadson.
| | | | A message from Mass General Brigham: At Mass General Brigham, we harness the collective strength of our healthcare system to provide research-driven cancer care for the patients and communities we serve. Mass General Brigham is number one in hospital medical research. We perform the most cancer surgeries and have the most cancer specialists in New England. We have the region’s only proton therapy center and provide access to more than 1,000 clinical trials annually.
The vision for Mass General Brigham is to build a world-class center of cancer care, with the patients at the center of everything we do. New collaborations, new treatments, and innovative approaches. Leading to new hope and possibilities. At Mass General Brigham, we’re one against cancer. Learn more. | | | Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you’re promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our politics and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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