THE MASS BRIEF

Sunday, October 18, 2026

The Lead

Early voting is open, and both parties are scrambling to define the final stretch

Saturday was the first day of early voting in Massachusetts, and the campaign trail looked like it. Gov. Maura Healey, Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue, Sen. Ed Markey, and Senate challenger John Deaton all made appearances at rallies, protests, and events around the state, per WBZ. In Boston, the No Kings network skipped the giant stage it used in March and opted for smaller gatherings from Back Bay to Dorchester. About 50 people turned out on the Common, where Mass 50501's Rebecca Winter, dressed as suffragist Lucy Stone, framed the work as voting, knowing your rights, and having a plan if the election is interfered with.

That small-bore approach is the story within the story. Organizers are betting that a turnout operation beats a photo-op, and the quiet logistics matter: early voting runs through Oct. 30, with Boston City Hall as the main hub and neighborhood sites open this weekend and through the final week, per Boston 25. Expect both campaigns to push hard on banking votes early, since every ballot cast now is one less thing to worry about on Nov. 3.

Then there's the Republican ticket's weekend. Lt. Gov. candidate and New Bedford City Councilor Shawn Oliver was arrested on an OUI charge Sunday morning after a crash on Dartmouth Street, according to the Bristol County Sheriff's Office. He was released on bail and declined to comment. Oliver has been campaigning statewide alongside Minogue, whose campaign had not yet responded when The Light published. Watch how the campaign handles this in the next 48 hours, with early ballots already being cast.

Full story at The New Bedford Light →

What Else You Should Know

Question 7 gets the Keller treatment. WBZ's Jon Keller hosted a debate on the zoning ballot question, which would legalize single-family homes on lots of 5,000 square feet or more. Andrew Mikula argued in favor and Adam Chapdelaine against. If you're still undecided on one of the more consequential housing votes in years, the full debate is worth a watch. WBZ / CBS Boston →

The marijuana question nobody's asking. Ahead of Question 8, which would repeal legal recreational sales, a group of health care professionals argues the state has failed to educate the public about cannabis's health effects or monitor its impact, especially on young people. Sales hit a record $1.65 billion in 2025, with $289 million in state tax revenue, and Healey signed a June law that doubled purchase and possession limits. The authors aren't taking a side on repeal; they're saying oversight has lagged the boom. CommonWealth Beacon →

East Bridgewater wants Healey to reconsider grant penalties. The School Committee tabled a joint letter with the Select Board protesting the town's ineligibility for state education grants, a consequence of failing to comply with the MBTA Communities zoning law. The draft cites fiscal 2027 grants including two literacy awards ($162,000 and $62,100), a $50,000 Hate Crime Prevention grant, and a $14,000 Safe Routes to School grant. It goes back for rewording, with a vote planned Oct. 26. South Shore News →

Pelham's mail-in ballots came up short. Roughly 280 voters in the Hampshire County town received packets with two copies of page one and no page two, which includes the last two referendum questions. Town Clerk Melissa Hibbard says a vendor hired by the Secretary of the Commonwealth caused the error. Affected voters can swap their ballots during early voting at town offices, and the originals will be spoiled. If you're elsewhere in the state and voting by mail, check that you have both pages. Daily Hampshire Gazette →

Cohasset's surveillance bylaw gets a rewrite. Residents revised their citizen petition on oversight of surveillance technology, including the town's four Flock Safety license plate cameras, after the Select Board (4-1) and Advisory Committee (6-1-1) declined to recommend the original. The new version still requires public disclosure and Select Board approval before departments acquire such tech. Neighboring Norwell already shut off its program last month. Town Meeting votes Oct. 26. South Shore Times →

Warren stumps in Maine for a Plan B. Sen. Elizabeth Warren rallied in Portland, Maine, for Democrat Troy Jackson, who is challenging Republican Sen. Susan Collins. It's déjà vu: Warren delivered a nearly identical speech in April for Graham Platner, whose campaign collapsed after a series of scandals. Jackson, the party's replacement pick, is playing catch-up in a race polling as close. Boston Globe →

Worth Your Attention

• Early voting continues through Oct. 30. Boston neighborhood sites are open today (Sunday) 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and City Hall opens Monday at 9 a.m. Boston 25 →
• Oct. 26: Cohasset Town Meeting takes up the surveillance bylaw. South Shore Times →
• Oct. 26: East Bridgewater School Committee is scheduled to vote on its letter to Healey. South Shore News →

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Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

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Ballot Question Committees

• Committee for Fair Campaign Finance — N/A, No office — Filed: 10/13/2026

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