PERHAPS THE MOST controversial of the nine ballot questions that will appear before Massachusetts voters in November is Question 3, which would replace partisan primaries with all-party primaries for most state, federal, county, and district offices, allowing the two candidates receiving the most votes to advance to the general election.

CommonWealth Beacon hosted a debate on October 13 at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill between Danielle Allen, a Harvard University professor who founded the group advancing the ballot initiative, and Jordan Berg Powers, chair of Voter Rights MA, which is opposing the ballot question.