Earlier today, the Massachusetts Senate voted 40 to 0 for a bill to protect our fall elections during the pandemic. 

Like the bill passed by the House, the bill contained a number of important provisions:

• Sending an application to vote early by mail to every registered voter for both the September 1 primary election and the November 3 general election
• Ensuring all applications and ballots sent by mail include prepaid return postage
• Ensuring that ballots postmarked by Election Day will be counted (but for the general election only)
• Allowing voters to apply to vote by mail through an online portal and enabling any voter who wants to vote absentee to do so this year
• Expanding early voting for the primary and the general

The Senate embraced some opportunities to strengthen the bill during debate today but, unfortunately, rejected others. Here’s a rundown of what happened. 

On June 4, the MA House advanced a bill to expand opportunities to vote by mail and vote early in light of COVID-19 (Read about the good and the bad of the bill here.)

Now, it's the Senate's time to vote, and that means another opportunity to improve the bill--to make it better for voting access and better for public health.

That's why we're supporting the following amendments:

When voters go to the polls this September, they should ask themselves several core questions. Which candidates are best equipped for the hard work of undoing the damage of the Trump administration and charting a progressive path forward? Which candidates will be active champions, the allies who join a fight before it becomes popular? Which candidates respond to the crises we face with the urgency required?

These are the questions our members weighed as they voted on whom Progressive Mass should endorse for US Senate, and the answer was clear: Ed Markey, with more than 96% of the vote.

Common Cause Massachusetts, MassVOTE, the ACLU of Massachusetts, the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts, Progressive Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Voter Table today praised emergency legislation allowing municipalities to delay their spring elections until June, and expanding absentee and early voting by mail, among other reforms.

The bill, S. 2608, was passed yesterday and is expected to be signed by Governor Charles Baker imminently.

“Yesterday’s bill is a strong first step. However, there is no guarantee that the coronavirus crisis will have receded by September 1, when Massachusetts state primaries are scheduled, or even for the November elections,” the groups said. “The Election Modernization Coalition urges the Legislature to recognize that this crisis is of indeterminate length, and that we must also act quickly to ensure that the fall’s elections take place as scheduled, maximize participation, and maintain public health. To that end, the Legislature must protect the ability of all eligible voters to cast ballots from home in all elections, and ensure that in-person voting is as safe and participatory as possible.”

The full statement is below.

2/17/20: Members of Progressive Massachusetts decided to wait until the primary to endorse in the following special elections. But if you live in the districts, check out the valuable information below.

Senate: Plymouth & Barnstable

Primary: March 3; General: March 31

District: Consisting of the towns of Kingston, Pembroke and Plymouth in the county of Plymouth; and the towns of Bourne, Falmouth and Sandwich in the county of Barnstable

Prior seatholder: Vinny DeMacedo (R)

2012: Obama 50.3% - Romney 49.5%

2012: Warren 42.8% - Brown 57.2%

2016: Clinton 49.8% - Trump 44.3%

3/10 Update: We have endorsed Su Moran following her victory in the primary last week.

Becky Coletta, chair of the Pembroke Planning Board

John Mahoney, member of the Plymouth Select Board

Thomas Moakley, support staff at the Suffolk County DA's office

Su Moran, member of the Falmouth Select Board and member of the Barnstable Assembly of Delegates

House: 37th Middlesex

Primary: March 3; General: March 31

District: Precincts 3, 4 and 5, of Acton, precinct 2 of Ayer, Boxborough and Shirley, all in Middlesex County; Harvard, and precincts A, C, and D, of Lunenburg, Worcester County

Prior seatholder: Jen Benson (D)

2016 election: Clinton 62% - Trump 31%

2012 election: Obama 57% - Romney 41%

2012 election: Warren 49.7% - Brown 50.3%

3/10 Update: We have endorsed Dan Sena following his victory in the primary last week.

Dina Samfield, former public school teacher, Shirley DTC chair, and founding member of Indivisible Nashoba

Dan Sena, district director for State Senator Jamie Eldridge 

House: 3rd Bristol

Primary: March 3; General: March 31

District: Precinct 6 of Easton, and precinct A of ward 3, and all precincts in wards 1, 2, 5, 7 and 8, of Taunton, Bristol County

Prior seatholder: Shauna O'Connell (R)

2016 election: Clinton 52% - Trump 42%

2012 election: Obama 58% - Romney 40%

2012 election: Warren 50.4% - Brown 49.6%

3/10 Update: We have endorsed Carol Doherty following her victory in the primary last week.

Carol Doherty, Taunton school committee member and former head of the Massachusetts Teacher Association

Muzammil Nazir, CFO of Green Car Rental

2020 Endorsements (latest update: July 1, 2020)

US Senate: Ed Markey

US House, MA-01: Alex Morse

US House, MA-08: Robbie Goldstein

MA House: Marianela Rivera, 17th Essex

MA House: Lisa Arnold, 17th Middlesex

MA House: Erika Uyterhoeven, 27th Middlesex

MA House: Steve Owens, 29th Middlesex

MA House: Damali Vidot, 2nd Suffolk

MA House: Gretchen Van Ness, 14th Suffolk

MA House: Jordan Meehan, 17th Suffolk

MA House: Ceylan Rowe, 12th Worcester

Click below for Congressional questionnaires.

Click below for Special Election Legislative questionnaires.

Click below for State House questionnaires.

Ballot Questions

On November 6, Massachusetts voters will see three questions on their ballot. Progressive Massachusetts recommends YES-YES-YES.

Elections matter. Our ability to make progressive change in Massachusetts depends on our electing progressive champions to office -- every office.

The general election is coming up soon on Tuesday, November 6th. Help us send such a message that voters want bold, progressive policymaking.

Over the past couple of months, we've been inviting candidates to fill out our comprehensive policy questionnaire -- a vital tool for informing voters and for holding politicians accountable. Our Election and Endorsement Committee reviews them and then chooses whether to make a recommendation to our members, the ultimate deciders. We set a high bar for endorsements; candidates must earn at least 60% of our members' votes.

Congrats to our endorsees! (NB: Several of our primary endorsees still have general elections ahead of them -- Becca Rausch, Steve Leibowitz, Jim Hawkins, and Christina Minicucci. Read about them here.)

State Senate

Cape & Islands: Julian Cyr

Julian Cyr serves in the Massachusetts Senate representing Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. Born and raised in Truro, Julian got his start in with a career in public policy, health advocacy, organizing, and social justice. Julian was elected to the State Senate in 2016 as the youngest senator in the 40-member body. As State Senator, Julian is dedicated to identifying solutions for the opioid epidemic, public education, and protecting the Cape's vulnerable environment. As a proudly gay legislator, Julian has advocated on behalf of the Commonwealth's LGBTQ residents as State Senator and as former chair of the Massachusetts Commission on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQ) Youth.

Middlesex & Worcester: Jamie Eldridge

Jamie Eldridge has served as State Senator for the Middlesex and Worcester district since January 2009. Senator Eldridge serves as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Financial Services, and is known for his leadership on progressive issues. Previously, Senator Eldridge served as State Representative for the 37th Middlesex district, after being elected the only Clean Elections candidate to public office in Massachusetts history in November 2002. For the 2017-18 session, Senator Eldridge, filed bills aimed at reducing the wealth gap, making health care a right, protecting the environment, combating climate change, increasing education funding, reforming the criminal justice system, and safeguarding the civil rights of immigrants and Muslims in Massachusetts.

Plymouth & Norfolk: Katie McBrine

Dr. Katie McBrine is a lifelong Democrat, a pediatrician and a mom, not the classic politician. She decided to run for office because she is disappointed by our state’s failure to make progress toward the goals in our party platform. As a doctor, she is witnessing firsthand the attacks on health care. She cannot sit by any longer while people suffer because our legislators do not know enough about how our health care system works to propose effective solutions. Dr. McBrine has long been active in the community as a health and science educator. She is a progressive who sees many issues through the lens of impact on public health. She wants to see our state lead the nation in affordable health care, in environmental protection, in civil rights, in education, in public transportation, and in gun safety. She will take her experience, her concerns, and her values to Beacon Hill and knowledgeably advocate for change.

State House

5th Barnstable: Jack Stanton

Jack Stanton is a lifelong Sandwich resident with deep ties to his community. He is a product of the public schools, graduating as president of his high school class in 2010 and receiving his BA from the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs in 2014. Since then Jack has been working primarily in the development sector with experience at the World Bank, and at Forcier Consulting in Mozambique. Deeply troubled by the political climate, concerned about the numerous challenges affecting Cape Cod, and seeing a need for more activist leadership at the state level, Jack decided to move home and run for office in his hometown. Since returning, Jack has been working as an offshore lobsterman while campaigning to bring attention to the many issues affecting Cape Cod – a region wrongly perceived as a wealthy enclave. Jack is running to challenge this notion and better serve his neighbors.

2nd Essex: Christina Eckert

Christina Eckert has been advocating for the children of Essex County for 11 years.  After serving as President of Boxford PTO, she then co-founded Masconomet Education Foundation, raising nearly half a million dollars for two STEM labs and other educational initiatives. She is Development Director for grassroots children’s charity Community Giving Tree, helping the organization grow from serving hundreds of children per year, to helping 10,000 annually. She also serves on Boxford’s Recreation Committee, overseeing the summer Park Program since 2008. Christina sees her run for State Rep in the 2^nd Essex District as a way to have a larger impact on the greater community. She wants to prioritize public schools and their safety; move toward a clean energy future; and make health care truly universal and comprehensive.

18th Essex: Tram Nguyen

1st Hampden: Tanya Neslusan

As the daughter, sister and wife of veterans, Tanya Neslusan believes strongly in the concept of service to country and community. She is an activist who currently serves as the President of the Sturbridge Regional Huddle, Secretary of the Sturbridge Democratic Town Committee, and a member of the Planning Committee for the Worcester Chapter of Showing Up for Racial Justice. Giving back to her community has always been important to her, whether she was coaching youth soccer or participating in Habitat for Humanity. Running for office is just another extension of that commitment which will enable her to help others on a larger scale. She currently resides in Sturbridge with her wife, Rebecca, her teenage son, Nick.

14th Middlesex: Tami Gouveia

Tami Gouveia is a strategic thinker and collaborator with a strong passion for social and environmental justice. For over 15 years, she has worked as a leader in public health and social work, serving as Director of Programs for the Greater Lawrence Health Center, Founder and Chair of the Lowell Roundtable on Substance Abuse Prevention, and Executive Director of Tobacco Free Mass. In 2016, Tami founded and co-organized the MA Chapter of the Women's March, an experience that ultimately precipitated her run for office. On Beacon Hill, Tami hopes to continue the work she’s achieved in enhancing community health, addressing the roots causes of addiction, advocating for justice, and holding corporations accountable. A native Lowellian, Tami now lives in Acton with her two sons.

2nd Plymouth: Sarah Hewins

Sarah Hewins is in her fourth term as Carver Selectman, was elected twice for 10 years to the Planning Board, and served as the town’s Conservation Agent for 15 years. Thirty years ago, Sarah formed a coalition to preserve hundreds of acres of wetlands in the Mississippi delta. Over the past 20 years in southeastern Massachusetts, she has preserved 600 acres of land, established inclusive zoning for affordable housing, was a leader in getting a new elementary school, spearheaded passing the Community Preservation Act, was a co-founder and volunteer Executive Director of a non-profit to help at-risk youth, and attempted to unionize town hall management employees. She has served on many town and regional committees and boards and has run the toddler story hour at the library for 22 years. She earned a PhD in Sociology of Community from Princeton University.

17th Worcester: David LeBoeuf

David LeBoeuf is a lifelong Worcester resident and proud graduate of the Worcester Public Schools. David began his career as an interim staff assistant in the Worcester City Manager’s Office. In 2011, he was appointed as the Director of the Initiative for Engaged Citizenship (IEC), a coalition of community-based organizations focused on increasing civic participation in local elections and advocating for election modernization. Since 2015, he has been an Urban Business Initiatives Associate at the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, focused on increasing opportunities for small businesses in underserved communities. He currently serves on the boards of the African Community Education program (ACE), the Latin American Health Alliance of Central MA (Hector Reyes House), and the NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center of Central MA/Oak Hill Community Development Corporation, where he is board president.

Primary Night 2018 was a big night for Progressive Massachusetts and our endorsed candidates.

Boston City Councilor Ayanna Pressley defeated incumbent Congressman Mike Capuano by 17%, becoming the first woman of color to represent Massachusetts in Washington.

Rachael Rollins won by 16% and will become the first woman of color to be the District Attorney of Suffolk County. She ran on a strong progressive platform of implementing the recently passed criminal justice reform bill and taking bold steps beyond it to curb mass incarceration and make sure we aren’t criminalizing poverty, illness, and addiction.

And in a strong message to House Leadership, challengers Jon Santiago and Nika Elugardo defeated Assistant Majority Leader Byron Rushing and Ways & Means Chair Jeff Sanchez, respectively.

They will be joined in the House by other Progressive Mass endorsees Lindsay Sabadosa (Northampton), Maria Robinson (Framingham), and Tommy Vitolo (Brookline), all of whom had big wins last night and face no challenge in the general election. Additionally, Berkshire County will now have a progressive reformer District Attorney in Andrea Harrington.

Becca Rausch won big and will go on to face incumbent Senator Richard Ross this November, and Steve Leibowitz will go on to face incumbent Representative Tim Whelan. Christina Minicucci will face a Republican challenger this fall as well. They will all need your help.

As do our endorsees Jay Gonzalez and Quentin Palfrey, who are fighting to bring progressive policy back to the Corner Office.