In Arlington at 6:45 am, there were 33 people in the Precinct 14 line at the Brackett Elementary School. By the time the doors opened at 7:00 am, more than 50 voters had queued up and the school’s PTO bake sale was in full swing. (Five stars for the pumpkin chocolate chip bread….)

Gabrielle covers several beats, including mass transit, municipal government, child welfare, and energy and the environment. Her recent articles have explored municipal hiring practices in Pittsfield,...