ELECTION COVERAGE 2026

Several independent and third-party candidates will be on the ballot in western Massachusetts on Tuesday at a time when Gallup found that a record-high 45% of U.S. adults identify as political independents. But in deeply Democratic Massachusetts, their campaigns still face steep challenges.

In Massachusetts, the state’s often-criticized public records law doesn’t cover the Legislature or governor’s office. Ballot Question 1 could change that, but some are worried legislative leaders will delay or undermine its implementation.

The private equity-backed initiative would scrap party primaries in state elections. But would it solve the problem of apathy and Democratic dominance?

The ballot measure would divert a small portion of state taxes towards conservation, but some prominent environmentalists have declined to endorse it.

The measure has pitted gun clubs and manufacturers against teachers’ unions and others in favor of stronger regulations.

Committee for Public Counsel Services employees say they can better help guarantee the public’s Sixth Amendment right to legal representation if allowed to collectively bargain.

The ballot initiative would allow single-family homes to be built on residential lots as small as 5,000 square feet. Developers and some progressive groups say that will help first-time buyers. But others aren’t convinced.

Incumbency topped fundraising and political alignment as the best predictor of success for local Democrats on Tuesday, despite a leftward swing seen elsewhere in the country.

Educator Jeromie Whalen is hoping his ground game and progressive message will resonate enough to take on Richard Neal’s decades of experience and corporate cash.