Tuesday’s primary broke records, with more than 1.5 million people casting ballots. By contrast, fewer than 1 million people voted in the 2018 state primaries.

What accounts for the difference? A hotly contested Senate race drove turnout for sure. But a major driver was the expansion of vote-by-mail and early voting, which alerted more people to the fact that an election was even happening and made it easier for them to participate. As the next legislative session nears, it will be important to make these reforms not just a pandemic-induced one-off but a part of how we do elections in Massachusetts.

Another major winner on Tuesday?

Senator Ed Markey. Markey’s campaign was able to clearly communicate his history of delivering for Massachusetts and leading on progressive policy (especially on climate action), and he was able to combine support from party regulars with energized youth activists who combined a spirited online presence with a commitment to organizing and mobilizing voters of all ages. When Congressman Joe Kennedy first announced, early polls showed him leading: on Tuesday, Markey won 55.4% to 44.6%, a double-digit win. Kudos to all involved.

While high turnout should always be celebrated, it may have made an uphill battle even steeper for Congressional primary challengers, as countless voters may have cast their ballots before the challengers’ had the chance to make contact with them (or may have never even been in an expected voter universe). Despite this and the myriad of challenges posed by COVID, Holyoke mayor

Alex Morse was able to pull 41.2% of the vote against Congressman Richard Neal, and physician Robbie Goldstein 33.3% of the vote against Congressman Stephen Lynch. We’re excited for their political futures and hope that Neal and Lynch realize that they’re on watch.

So How about the State Senate?

In the Springfield-based Hampden district, progressive Springfield City Councilor Adam Gomez defeated centrist incumbent Jim Welch 52.5% – 47.5%, adding another progressive voice to the MA Senate and increasing the size of the Senate Black & Latino Caucus.

Disappointingly, over in the southern suburbs and exurbs of Boston, progressive challenger Jarred Rose lost to conservative incumbent Walter Timilty 68.1% to 31.9%. A clear sign of the turnout jump from this year? Jarred Rose got 11,637 votes; in 2018’s uncontested race, Timilty got just 1,000 more total votes than that. More than twice as many ballots were cast as were in the contested open race for this seat in 2016.

So How about the State House?

Three of our endorsees —Steve Owens, Orlando Ramos, and Erika Uyterhoeven — won in their open primaries to replace Representatives Jon Hecht, Joe Tosado, and Denise Provost, respectively. All three had strong voter outreach operations and clear messages.

Other candidates — whether running in open seats or against incumbents — were not so lucky, although some came extremely close. Given challenges they faced — the inability to run as aggressive of a field operation due to the pandemic, huge spikes in turnout learned about too late to adjust, and a wave of outside spending from allies of Charlie Baker and Bob DeLeo –they all did respectably, and we look forward to what comes next for all of them. They were fighting for progressive policy change before they started running, and we know they will continue to do so — and have inspired more people to join because of their campaigns.

Orlando Ramos (9th Hampden): WON 47.0% – 39.1% Hurst – 14.0% Mullan [Won by 552 votes]

Marianela Rivera (17th Essex): LOST 64.4% – 35.5% 

Lisa Arnold (17th Middlesex): LOST —  43.8% Howard (WON) – 32.1% Nangle (incumbent) – 24.1% Arnold 

Erika Uyerhoeven (27th Middlesex): WON — Uyterhoeven 62% – Sharp 38% 

Steve Owens (29th Middlesex): WON — Owens 59.65% – Sideris 22.95% – Ciccarelli 17.4% 

Andrew Flowers (8th Norfolk): LOST — Philips 51.7% – Flowers 48.3% [lost by 342 votes] 

Damali Vidot (2nd Suffolk): LOST — Ryan 57.6% – Vidot 42.4% 

Gretchen Van Ness (14th Suffolk): LOST  — Consalvo 53.4% – GVN 32.1% – Duckens 14.5% 

Joe Gravellese (16th Suffolk): LOST — Giannino 61.45% – Gravellese 38.55% 

Jordan Meehan (17th Suffolk): LOST 54.2% Honan – 45.8% Meehan [lost by 662 votes]

Ceylan Rowe (12th Worcester): LOST — Kilcoyne 51.4% – Rowe 28.2% – Turner 20.2% 

ou may have already voted, but we’re sure that even if you have, you still know people who haven’t yet.

TOMORROW — Tuesday, September 1st — is the last day to cast your ballot for the primary.

Polls will be open from 7 am to 8 pm. Find your polling location at wheredoivotema.com. (Note: Some polling locations have changed, so make sure to double check.)

If you still have your mail-in ballot, the best thing to do would be to drop your ballot off at the secure dropbox in your city/town. You need to do so by 8 pm tomorrow (the earlier, the better). You can find dropbox locations here. You cannot drop your mail-in ballot at a polling location tomorrow instead, but you can still vote in-person if you have not submitted your mail-in ballot.

Check if your mail-in ballot has been processed here. If it has not been, you can still vote in-person.

If you have any issues casting a ballot, or see clear issues like long lines or closed polling places, call the Election Protection Hotline: 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

WHOM TO VOTE FOR

You can find a complete list of our 2020 endorsements below. Scroll down to find links to the full sets of questionnaires that we received, including for races in which we did not yet choose to endorse. We make all of the questionnaires we receive available to the public as a service to you, the voters.

NB: There are some races that are contested in the general (but not the primary) in which we haven’t endorsed. Stay tuned for more!

Congress

US Senate: Ed Markey

Read our endorsement announcement of Ed Markey here.

MA-01: Alex Morse

MA-08: Robbie Goldstein

Read our endorsement announcement of Alex Morse and Robbie Goldstein here.

MA Legislature

MA Senate

Adam Gomez, Hampden

Becca Rausch, Norfolk, Bristol & Middlesex

Jarred Rose, Norfolk, Bristol & Plymouth

Meg Wheeler, Plymouth & Norfolk

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MA House

Amber Hewett, 1st Essex

Christina Eckert, 2nd Essex

Orlando Ramos, 9th Hampden

Marianela Rivera, 17th Essex

Lisa Arnold, 17th Middlesex

Erika Uyterhoeven, 27th Middlesex

Steve Owens, 29th Middlesex

Andrew Flowers, 8th Norfolk

Damali Vidot, 2nd Suffolk

Gretchen Van Ness, 14th Suffolk

Joe Gravellese, 16th Suffolk

Jordan Meehan, 17th Suffolk

Ceylan Rowe, 12th Worcester

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Governor’s Council

District 6: Helina Fontes

District 7: Paul DePalo

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Sheriff (Special)

Norfolk County: Bill Phelan

Click below for C

The Massachusetts primary is just over two weeks away. We’ve made some endorsements already this spring and summer, and we’re ready to announce a few more.

Do you have questions about voting safely this fall? Check out SafeElectionsMA.org.

MA Legislature

Adam Gomez for Hampden Senate District

Adam Gomez is the Vice President of the Springfield City Council, where he serves as chair of Economic Development, and holds positions on the committees for Casino Oversight, Finance, and Environment and Sustainability. Adam is running to build a community where everyone has a good-paying job they can get to, where everyone has a home in a safe and healthy neighborhood, and where everyone sends their children to a world-class school. 

District: Parts of Chicopee, Springfield, and West Springfield

Learn more about Adam Gomez’s campaign here.

Orlando Ramos for 9th Hampden House District

Orlando Ramos is the chair of the Public Safety Committee of the Springfield City Council, where he has spearheaded the passage of one of the first ordinances to ban facial surveillance technology, and a member of United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 336. He is running to continue the fight for police accountability and to ensure that cities like Springfield aren’t left behind, especially when it comes to equitable education funding.

District: Parts of Springfield and Chicopee

Learn more about Orlando Ramos’s campaign here.

Governor’s Council

The Massachusetts Governor’s Council is composed of eight individuals elected from districts, and the Lieutenant Governor who serves ex officio. The eight councillors are elected from their respective districts (consisting of five State Senate districts) every two years. The Council meets weekly to record advice and consent on warrants for the state treasury, pardons and commutations, and recording advice and consent to gubernatorial appointments such as judges, clerk-magistrates, public administrators, members of the Parole Board, Appellate Tax Board, Industrial Accident Board and Industrial Accident Reviewing Board, notaries, and justices of the peace.

Helina Fontes for Governor’s Council – District 6

Helina Fontes is a community organizer and an experienced human services and mental health program director. She is running to ensure that judges and parole board members are representative of the communities they serve, understand the unique challenges of those communities, and have demonstrated a personal commitment to jail and prison diversion, community integration, and racial justice.

Cities and Towns in District 6: Cambridge, Everett, Lynn, Lynnfield, Malden, Marblehead, Medford, Melrose, Nahant, Reading, Saugus, Somerville, Stoneham, Swampscott, Wakefield, Winchester + parts of Boston (East Boston, Charlestown, North End, West End, Downtown, Beacon Hill, and parts of the South End and Allston/Brighton)

State Senators’ Districts within D6: Brendan Crighton, Joe Boncore, Sal DiDomenico, Pat Jehlen, Jason Lewis

Learn more about Helina Fontes’s campaign here.

Paul DePalo for Governor’s Council – District 7

Paul DePalo is an attorney, former special education teacher, and member of the Worcester Planning Board. He’s running to ensure that the Parole Board has more mental health professionals and that Massachusetts judges protect women’s rights, workers’ rights, and civil rights for everyone in our inclusive Commonwealth. ​

Cities of District 7: Fitchburg, Gardner, Leominster, and Worcester; Towns of District 7: Ashburnham, Ashby, Athol, Auburn, Barre, Bellingham, Berlin, Blackstone, Bolton, Boylston, Brimfield, Brookfield, Charlton, Clinton, Douglas, Dudley, East Brookfield, Hardwick, Holden, Holland, Hopedale, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Leicester, Lunenburg, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Monson, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Northborough (Pcts. 1, 2, 4), Northbridge, Palmer, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Petersham, Phillipston, Princeton, Rutland, Shrewsbury, Southbridge, Spencer, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sutton, Templeton, Townsend, Upton, Uxbridge, Wales, Ware, Warren, Webster, West Boylston, West Brookfield, Westminster, Winchendon

Learn more about Paul DePalo’s campaign here.

Sheriffs

Bill Phelan for Norfolk County Sheriff

Bill Phelan comes with the background of a former mentor for at-risk youth, former mayor, and current defense attorney. He is running to provide a continuum of services before, during, and after incarceration delivered with compassion and dignity in a safe environment and to foster a culture of racial equity and respect for all.

Learn more about Bill Phelan’s campaign here.

The Massachusetts state primary is just one month away: Tuesday, September 1st. And the general election just three months and two days.

The basics for getting prepared for the next month:

• Make sure that you are registered to vote at your current address.
• Register to vote or update your registration.
• Find your polling location and districts.
• Send in your application to vote early by mail! (Or download one here.)

But beyond just being registered, we want you to be informed. Read questionnaires from candidates running for State Legislature across the state here.

There are a lot of questionnaires, so we decided to break up our endorsements into multiple batches as in years past.

Our Elections Committee reviewed questionnaires, spoke with allies, and made recommendations for our second round of endorsements, and then our members voted.

And we’re proud to endorse the following candidates, who will be progressive champions in the MA House and Senate.

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SENATE 

NorfoBlk, Bristol & Middlesex: Becca Rausch

Becca Rausch is a first-term senator and a progressive champion. We endorsed Becca in 2018, and she’s been one of our strongest allies in the Senate, with a perfect score on our 2019 scorecard. She’s been a tireless fighter for health equity, civil rights, and strengthening our democracy, and we need more senators like her.

Learn more at https://www.beccarausch.com/.

Where’s the District?: All or parts of Attleboro, Franklin, Millis, Natick, Needham, Norfolk, North Attelborough, Plainville, Sherborn, Wayland, Wellesley, and Wrentham

Norfolk, Bristol & Plymouth: Jarred Rose

Jarred Rose is a Town Meeting Member in Stoughton, a member of the Stoughton Cultural Council, and a former policy adviser in the MA Senate. He is running to fight for a Massachusetts Green New Deal, affordable housing for all income levels, and a more equitable and inclusive commonwealth.

Learn more at https://www.jarredrose.com/.

Where’s the District?: All or parts of Avon, Braintree, Canton, East Bridgewater, Easton, Milton, Randolph, Sharon, Stoughton, and West Bridgewater

Plymouth & Norfolk: Meg Wheeler

Meg Wheeler is the founder of One for Women, an online community and marketplace devoted to connecting and empowering women. She is running to fight for universal child care, a more aggressive response to climate change, and an economy that works for all, not just those on the top.

Learn more at https://www.megwheeler.com/.

Where’s the District?: Cohasset, Duxbury, Hingham, Hull, Marshfield, Norwell, Scituate, and Weymouth

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HOUSE

1st Essex: Amber Hewett

Amber Hewett is an environmental advocate who has advanced offshore wind policy in a number of states at the National Wildlife Federation. She’s ready to continue the fight for bold policies to mitigate climate change and address the intersectionality of the climate crisis with inequality and systemic racism.

Learn more at https://www.amberhewett.com/.

Where’s the District?: Amesbury, Newburport, and Salisbury

2nd Essex: Christina Eckert

Christina Eckert is a community advocate who has worked for Merrimack River Watershed Council, Masconomet Education Foundation, and the Community Giving Tree. She is running to fight for environmental protection and housing security and address the district’s status as public transit desert.

Learn more at https://www.eckertforrep.com/.

Where’s the District?: All or parts of Boxford, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Merrimac, Newbury, and West Newbury

8th Norfolk: Andrew Flowers

Andrew Flowers is an economist and the chair of Walpole’s affordable housing committee. He is running to fight for greater investments in public transit, make Massachusetts a more welcoming state for all, and strengthen democracy in the State House and the state as a whole.

Learn more at https://andrewflowers.com/.

Where’s the District?: All or parts of Mansfield, Sharon, Stoughton, and Walpole

16th Suffolk: Joe Gravellese

Joe Gravellese is former legislative director and mayoral aide and has the hands-on experience of crafting policy. He’s running for office in order to fight for greater investment in public transit, solutions to our affordable housing crisis, and an accelerated transition to 100% renewable energy.

Learn more at https://www.joegrav.com/.

Where’s the District?: Parts of Chelsea, Revere, and Saugus

The pandemic has revealed time and time again the systemic inequalities across Massachusetts (and the country) as well as the need for elected officials who are willing to be bold, progressive leaders and not wait for others to take action.

We need elected officials who will fight for Medicare for All because, as this pandemic shows, our health is connected, and no one should have to go broke to access the care that they need.

We need elected officials who will fight for the rights of immigrants and all marginalized communities.

We need elected officials who understand that the 2020s will be the decade in which we decide whether or not we can have a livable planet — and that we need a response to climate change that meets that urgency.

And we need elected officials who are willing to think creatively and to help chart what a progressive vision looks like for the country (and how we get out of the mess of the past four years).

Our members voted and overwhelmingly said that Alex Morse and Robbie Goldstein are the type of elected official we need, with each securing more than 95% of the vote.

(Stay tuned for more Congressional and down-ballot legislative endorsements in weeks to come.)

Alex Morse for CD-01

At age 21, Alex Morse became the youngest and first openly gay mayor of Holyoke. In his role as mayor, he has helped make Holyoke a more just and prosperous city. He closed the state’s last coal power plant and replaced it with the state’s largest solar field, doubled the school system’s graduation rate, and implemented a needle exchange program to fight the opioid epidemic. Under Alex’s leadership, Holyoke became one of the first sanctuary cities in the country in 2014, and welcomed hundreds of Puerto Rican families displaced by Hurricane Maria in 2018.

Alex has the experience and vision to continue this fight in Congress on issues such as universal health care, reforming our broken immigrant and criminal justice systems, and greening our infrastructure. Learn more at www.alexmorseforcongress.com/.

Robbie Goldstein for CD-08

Dr. Robbie Goldstein is a physician and graduate of Tufts University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree, MD, and a PhD in cancer genetics. After he completed his PhD, he joined Massachusetts General Hospital for medical training and eventually joined the faculty. He now works as a primary care doctor and an infectious disease specialist, and created the hospital’s first Transgender Health Program. Robbie has spent his career in medicine focused on caring for those left out of the system.

He seeks to address our nation’s public health issues by enacting healthcare for all, substance use support services, common-sense gun violence prevention measures, and a Green New Deal. Learn more at www.robbieforchange.com.

While We’re Talking about Elections

The Legislature needs to take action to make sure that we can have high-participation elections in September and November while protecting public health. Email your state legislators today if you haven’t already (and even if you have).