New from CommonWealth Beacon DOUBLE TAKE: Frustrated by “prolonged inaction” on major bills, Senate President Karen Spilka suggests she might not support extending the legislative deadline beyond July 31 next […]
CommonWealth Beacon staff
Posted inThe Download
The Download: Frustrated by ‘prolonged inaction,’ Spilka might backtrack on extending legislative deadline next term
New from CommonWealth Beacon NEW CODCAST: It’s a wrap on elections in Massachusetts, and the Democrats have kept a hold on almost all their levers of power in the state. […]
Posted inThe Codcast
What does a blue wave mean in Massachusetts?
It’s a wrap on elections in Massachusetts, and the Democrats have kept a hold on almost all their levers of power in the state. But there was still plenty of controversial policy for voters to weigh in on. This week on The Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith talks with Talia Lissauer of the Berkshire Eagle and Ella Adams of the State House News Service about election week, starting with a late-breaking ballot question result. They dig into the slew of ballot questions, the regions with competitive races, and what it means for areas without much down-ballot action.
Posted inThe Saturday Send
The catch on Question 1 and four more stories: The Saturday Send
The Saturday Send Welcome back to the Saturday Send, a weekly digest of stories from CommonWealth Beacon that you may have missed. This week, Massachusetts voters on Tuesday overwhelming approved […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: MWRA pulls largest water transfer request in history after drawing backlash from Quabbin communities
New from CommonWealth Beacon VOTER TURNOUT: Lawrence, home to Massachusetts’s lowest voter turnout in 2022, grapples with a convergence of political corruption, voter apathy, and a lack of competition during […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: On Election Day in Lawrence, political corruption, low voter turnout, and uncontested races converge
New from CommonWealth Beacon PUBLIC RECORDS: Massachusetts voters on Tuesday gave overwhelming approval to a ballot measure subjecting the House, Senate, and governor’s office to the state’s public records law. […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: Voters subject governor and Legislature to public records law, but there’s no guarantee lawmakers will comply
New from CommonWealth Beacon POLITICS: Democrats score seismic victories around the country as they take back power in Washington. Here at home, Gov. Maura Healey and US Sen. Ed Markey […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: What to expect when you’re electing
What to expect when you’re electing November 3, 2026 By CommonWealth Beacon staff Rise and shine, Massachusetts. It’s Election Day! Today, Bay Staters will cast their votes for governor, US […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: Your Massachusetts midterm rundown
New from CommonWealth Beacon ALL-PARTY PRIMARIES: While most of the wealthy donors backing an overhaul of primary elections in Massachusetts call the state home, more than a dozen backers of […]
Posted inThe Codcast
Your Massachusetts midterm rundown
On this episode of The Codcast, we get listeners all caught up on the political landscape in Massachusetts and around the country heading into the crucial 2026 midterm elections.
Posted inThe Download
The Download: Backers of primary election overhaul say the proposal is ‘Massachusetts-grown.’ For years, its top donors funded similar efforts across the country.
New from CommonWealth Beacon RENTAL AID: Tenants at risk of eviction sued the Healey administration over its decision to pause access to a third year of rental assistance through the […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: State sued over Mass. rental assistance program’s paused third year
New from CommonWealth Beacon BALLOTMANIA: Election Day is less than a week away, and with a record-tying nine ballot questions before voters, reporter Chris Lisinski dives into the long history […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: Ballotmania: Inside the flurry of measures upending Massachusetts politics
October 28, 2026 By Chris Lisinski There has been no shortage of debate and commentary about the record-tying nine ballot questions voters will decide next week. As campaigns emerged and […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: Political Notebook: Question 8 surpasses Question 3 as most expensive ballot question
New from CommonWealth Beacon CODCAST: Achieving a strong-enough understanding to feel confident voting on nine ballot questions is a tall task. This week on The Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon senior reporters […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: You have questions about ballot questions. We answered them.
New from CommonWealth Beacon DEBT: More than 800,000 customers in Massachusetts are struggling with overdue energy bills, a number that has dropped below pre-pandemic levels. But at the same time, […]
Posted inThe Codcast
You have questions about ballot questions. We answered them.
On this special episode of The Codcast, we answer listener-submitted questions all about the field of nine ballot questions this November.
Posted inThe Download
The Download: ‘It’s a stressful life’: How energy debt is straining 800K Massachusetts utility customers
New from CommonWealth Beacon CLERGY ABUSE: Despite the release of a report from state officials detailing how more than 270 Catholic clerics in the dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, and […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: No clear signs that Legislature will act swiftly on child sexual abuse amendment
Thanks for your patience, as the Download experienced some technical difficulties this morning. New from CommonWealth Beacon SENT TO STUDY: After nearly $400,000 and three years, a sweeping state energy […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: Mass. spent nearly $400K on an energy study. Three years after its completion, the state hasn’t released the results.
New from CommonWealth Beacon COURTS: The state’s highest court ruled in a 5-2 decision that a state law preventing people under 21 years old from obtaining licenses to carry certain […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: State says resident data is safe with state AI tool. Advocates have concerns.
New from CommonWealth Beacon A LOW BAR: The Bay State climbed from the basement up one single rung higher in Ballotpedia’s biennial competition index, with only Rhode Island performing worse […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: Mass. upgraded from least competitive elections in the country to second-worst
New from CommonWealth Beacon RED LINE: A single erroneous line in a subcommittee slideshow presentation prompted reporters to start asking questions about the status of the MBTA’s Red Line procurement. […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: Slideshow mistake prompts T to disclose new delay to Red Line train procurement
New from CommonWealth Beacon CENSUS: Massachusetts lawmakers are concerned about proposed federal rules that would exclude non-citizens from the decennial US Census and alter the way residency is determined, changes […]
Posted inThe Download
The Download: Senators decry ‘disastrous,’ ‘flabbergasting’ Census changes
New from CommonWealth Beacon DEBATE: CommonWealth Beacon hosted a Question 3 debate on Tuesday night between Danielle Allen, a Harvard University professor who founded the group advancing the ballot initiative, […]