Last night's Senate primary debate between Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Seth Moulton featured sparks over age, the war in Iran, transgender rights and... iPad apps? Read our recap of the final debate between the two Democrats — or watch the full replay of the hourlong event here. Now, in related news: Early in-person voting begins across Massachusetts this weekend. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the state's first-ever early voting period back in 2016. And while its popularity has dwindled somewhat since lawmakers made mail-in voting more accessible after the COVID pandemic, Secretary of State Bill Galvin says it remains an opportunity for voters who " for whatever reason" want to hand in their ballot in person ahead of the Sept. 1 primary. - When and where? The in-person early voting period runs this Saturday, Aug. 22 through next Friday, Aug. 28. But smaller towns and cities aren't required to have it all seven days, and hours vary. You can look up your community's early voting location(s) and hours here.
- Want to vote this weekend? All cities and towns have to open an early voting location on at least one day this weekend. For most, that means Saturday. But "a few" — like Rockport — open only on Sunday, Galvin noted. Communities with more than 25,000 registered voters have to be open both days. And some, like Boston, have multiple locations. (Remember: You can vote at any early voting location in your community, not just the one closest to your home.)
- Need to update your registration? This Saturday is the deadline to register or change your party affiliation before the primary. Galvin told WBUR's John Bender that means people can update their registration and then go vote on the very same day Saturday, if their early voting location is at the same place as their community's election office. "If it's not there, there is still a possibility to do it, but it's a little more complicated," he said.
- Go deeper: Less than 5% of all ballots in the last two Massachusetts state primaries were cast via in-person early voting. That's led some local clerks and election experts to tiptoe toward the question of whether it's worth the money and strain on local governments. State House News Service has a closer look at the trends and impact here.
And then there were three: Boston is on the even shorter short list to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention, after party officials winnowed the contenders from five to three. DNC leaders announced yesterday that the finalists are Boston, Denver and Philadelphia (sorry, Atlanta and Chicago). The winning city for the Aug. 7-10, 2028 convention — which is expected to attract about 50,000 visitors — will be announced later this year. - The case for Boston? The city hosted the DNC back in 2004, but Boston 2028 and Massachusetts Democratic Party Chair Steve Kerrigan told WBUR's Amy Sokolow that a lot has changed since then. " We've doubled hotel capacity. The Big Dig is finished," Kerrigan said. "So much of the city has been revitalized. Leadership has shifted." He also noted Boston did pretty well hosting big summer events like the tall ships and World Cup. "We hope the Tartan Army comes back for it, too," he added.
A growing flock: Two Lynn police officers have been placed on paid leave, as the department investigates a "concerning pattern" in the use of Flock license plate readers. The Boston Globe reports the department says it's now restricting access to the system to high-ranking supervisors amid a review of its policies. - It's the latest example in a string of local alleged police misuse of the controversial AI-powered surveillance. New Bedford and Stow both recently stopped working with Flock after officers were accused of using it to track former girlfriends. (Hopkinton also announced yesterday that it has ended its contract with Flock after a legal review.) Here & Now has more on the issue here.
That dirty water: Boston health officials are warning residents that a cyanobacteria algae bloom is back in the Charles River's lower basin — the area between the Mass. Ave. bridge and the Zakim bridge. That means you'll want to avoid contact with the water (i.e. swimming in the river) and definitely keep dogs away from it. While the blue-green algae may only cause skin irritation and stomach trouble for humans, it can be fatally toxic for dogs. P.S.— What rising problem are pediatricians in Massachusetts warning about? Take our Boston News Quiz and test your knowledge of this week's stories. |
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