THE MASS BRIEF

Wednesday, October 28, 2026

The Lead

Beacon Hill's ballot-question hangover is already being planned.

Voters head to the polls next Tuesday facing a record-tying nine ballot questions, and the people who write the state's laws for a living are not thrilled about it. State Rep. Alice Peisch, a top House leader, told WBUR that having to vote yes or no on complicated issues "lends itself to bad policy." Even Sen. Jason Lewis, who spent an October afternoon walking Malden seniors through the questions (with a Cantonese translator at his side), sounds more enthusiastic about the process than most of his colleagues.

Here's the part voters may not realize: passing a question on Nov. 3 doesn't necessarily end the fight. Nothing but political risk stops the Legislature from tweaking, delaying, or gutting a new law after the fact, and WBUR reports that lawmakers appear poised to do just that on some of this year's measures. CommonWealth Beacon's deep dive into the "ballotmania" tracks how the flood of initiatives, from same-day voter registration to a revamp of the "62F" tax-cap law to single-family zoning, put Beacon Hill on the defensive and revived old arguments about the pitfalls of lawmaking by statewide vote.

Expect the real action on some of these questions to start in January, not November. A ballot win is a starting gun for a second round of lobbying, with the same legislators many of these campaigns were designed to circumvent. If a question you care about is on your ballot, a "yes" is only the opening move.

Full story at WBUR →  |  CommonWealth Beacon →

What Else You Should Know

Vote early, because Election Day will be slow. Secretary of State Bill Galvin says Election Day will likely be a "slower process" thanks to those nine questions, with ballots running two to four cards depending on your community. His office says unofficial results could also trickle in later than usual. In-person early voting continues through Friday. WBUR →

Federal poll monitors are headed to Boston and Lowell. The U.S. Department of Justice will station observers in both cities on Election Day. Galvin says monitors are routine and will check language services and disability access, but he acknowledged residents may be wary given the Trump administration's recent efforts to influence local elections. WBUR →

Minogue pushes a State Police allegation, with little to back it. GOP gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue claims the State Police union traded an endorsement for a new contract with Gov. Maura Healey. Pressed for evidence, he said "people know" and pointed to the "perception of corruption." GBH News →

ICE's spending spree is a Massachusetts business story, too. A Globe analysis found ICE has spent or committed more than $70 million with 27 Massachusetts companies since 2024. That's roughly what it took six years to spend in the state before Trump's reelection. Plymouth's BI2 Technologies holds the biggest deal, a $25 million contract for an iris-scanning and facial-recognition app. A Pittsfield firm sells ICE armored vehicles. Boston Globe →

Wu wants to make opening a restaurant less painful. Mayor Michelle Wu proposed zoning changes that would, among other things, cut takeout approval from four months to under two weeks by ending the separate zoning review that kicks in when ownership changes. She also named Ava Callendar Concepcion to replace Kathleen Joyce as chair of the Boston Licensing Board. Boston.com → | Universal Hub →

A BU study finds CTE in nearly three-quarters of deceased NFL players. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, covers a 15-year period and includes players whose brains weren't donated for research. Lead author Julia Gallini cautioned that it doesn't mean 75 percent of current players will develop the disease, but called the number "very concerning." Boston Globe →

A fugitive with a Massachusetts warrant may be in the Merrimack Valley. Salem, N.H. police say Daquhan Cromer, who escaped a Manchester halfway house in December 2025, crashed into police cruisers Tuesday night and fled on foot. They believe he's now in Massachusetts, where he's wanted on a felony aggravated assault warrant, and they say he should be considered armed and dangerous. WBZ / CBS Boston →

Worth Your Attention

•  Through Friday: In-person early voting continues across Massachusetts. WBUR →

•  Thursday: The Boston Licensing Board votes on a license for Old Friend Pizza, a Detroit-style spot with ten seats opening at 5272 Washington St. in West Roxbury. Universal Hub →

•  Nov. 20: Bilal Griffith, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2025 I-91 work-zone crash that killed three highway workers, will be sentenced. Under his plea deal he faces 15 to 17 years. Boston Globe →

Track all bills →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

Full hearing schedule →

Recent filings with the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance:

Candidates

• Daniel Wong (Democratic) — City Councilor, Somerville — Filed: 10/27/2026

Ballot Question Committees

• Voter Choice for Massachusetts — N/A, N/A — Filed: 10/27/2026

OCPF →

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