Good morning. Early voting kicks off today, a Worcester manhunt is still underway, and Cambridge is reeling after police fatally shot a man last night. Let's get into it.

Voters can register and vote — same day, in person — starting today. Take advantage of it.

Here's a quirk of Massachusetts election law worth knowing about: Saturday, August 22 is the one and only day this cycle when you can walk into your city or town hall, register to vote for the first time (or re-register after a move), and cast a ballot on the spot. It's the overlap between the voter registration deadline and the first day of in-person early voting for the September 1 primary — a scheduling coincidence that effectively creates same-day registration, just for 24 hours.

Why does this matter beyond the trivia value? Because this primary actually has stakes. Senator Ed Markey and Representative Seth Moulton faced off Thursday night in their final debate before the vote, sparring over age, Iran, transgender rights, and — improbably — iPad apps. It was feisty enough that it's clearly not a coronation for either side. Meanwhile, progressive candidates across the state, from Cambridge's Evan MacKay to contenders on the North Shore, are explicitly trying to import Zohran Mamdani's affordability-focused, small-donor playbook from New York City into Massachusetts races. Whether that translates outside a place like Cambridge is one of the more interesting subplots of this primary season.

Turnout for early in-person voting has cratered in recent years — clerks in Belmont and Brookline say only 5-10% of voters use it now, with mail-in ballots dominating. But if you're unregistered or you moved recently and haven't updated your address, today is genuinely your only shot to fix that and vote in one trip. Check your town's specific hours; not every municipality is open all seven days of the early voting window. Full story at GBH News →

Cambridge police fatally shoot a man on Temple Street. A man in his 60s allegedly got out of his car and pointed a loaded gun at officers responding to a report of suspicious activity near Central Square Friday night. Several officers were hospitalized as a precaution and released; the man died at the scene. Middlesex DA Marian Ryan's office is investigating, as is standard in police shootings. Boston Globe →

The hunt for Karen Solomon continues. Worcester police have issued an arrest warrant for the wife of slain officer Kurt Solomon, a 31-year veteran found dead in their Wildwood Avenue home Tuesday from injuries caused by a "sharp object." Dive teams and searchers have combed a nearby pond and closed off recreational areas for the weekend; DA Joseph Early Jr. says they won't stop looking. Solomon's funeral is set for August 26. WCVB →

White Stadium construction can keep going, SJC rules. Boston's highest court unanimously sided with the city, clearing the way for the Franklin Park stadium rebuild — a joint project between Boston Public Schools and the pro women's soccer team Boston Legacy — to proceed without further delay. Mayor Michelle Wu celebrated at a press conference near the site, though opponents from the Emerald Necklace Conservancy say their concerns about size, cost, and park impact haven't gone away, just lost in court. CommonWealth Beacon →

Shannon O'Brien sues Treasurer Deb Goldberg — again. The former Cannabis Control Commission chair, who was fired, reinstated, and then removed a second time after lawmakers restructured the agency, filed a $3 million lawsuit alleging retaliation and reputational harm. Goldberg's office calls it a rehash of already-litigated grievances timed to her reelection fight against Republican Elizabeth Dionne. Boston Globe →

Suffolk DA Kevin Hayden's staff collected his ballot signatures on the clock. Records show three of Hayden's taxpayer-funded employees submitted his nominating paperwork to clerks' offices during normal business hours. Hayden's office insists they used personal time — vacation days or unpaid lunch breaks — and broke no laws, though ethics watchers say the practice blurs lines that shouldn't be blurry. Boston Globe →

Teachers union pushes back on a new school tax credit. The Massachusetts Teachers Association is urging Governor Maura Healey to opt out of the federal Education Freedom Tax Credit, which lets people donate up to $1,700 a year to scholarship organizations in exchange for a dollar-for-dollar tax break. Supporters say it funds tutoring and enrichment programs; the MTA's Matt Bach warns it could gut public school funding by as much as 12%, hitting rural and urban districts hardest. WBZ / CBS Boston →

Track all bills →

Yesterday's Biggest Contributions

Big Spending This Week

Data from the MA Office of Campaign & Political Finance

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

Candidates

• Gabriel Greenspan (Republican) — Senate, Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire — Filed: 8/20/2026
• Anthony Baez — City Councilor, Boston — Filed: 8/20/2026
• Brendalee Smith (Republican) — House, 10th Bristol — Filed: 8/19/2026

Ballot Question Committees

• Vote YES on 4 Election Day Registration — N/A, No office — Filed: 8/19/2026

Change of Purposes

• Christopher Chan — City Councilor, Quincy → Mayoral, Quincy — Filed: 8/21/2026

OCPF →

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