By | House Speaker Ronald Mariano is joining the push on Beacon Hill to make the state’s pandemic-era expansion of vote-by-mail permanent.Mariano told colleagues on Wednesday that the House will work to extend the expanded vote-by-mail system until June 30 to support local elections. It was previously set to expire in March.He’ll then work to make the system that helped propel record-breaking turnout in the November election permanent.“Since we first enacted vote by mail, it has proven to be secure and even increased voter turnout in many places,” Mariano said in a statement released by his...…By | House Speaker Ronald Mariano is joining the push on Beacon Hill to make the state’s pandemic-era expansion of vote-by-mail permanent.Mariano told colleagues on Wednesday that the House will work to extend the expanded vote-by-mail system until June 30 to support local elections. It was previously set to expire in March.He’ll then work to make the system that helped propel record-breaking turnout in the November election permanent.“Since we first enacted vote by mail, it has proven to be secure and even increased voter turnout in many places,” Mariano said in a statement released by his...WW…

By and | | Edward Augustus Jr. had chalked his Monday morning fatigue up to a restless night’s sleep.But by Tuesday, the Worcester city manager had a runny nose and a sinus headache. By Wednesday, Dec. 9, he’d tested positive for COVID-19.Augustus had followed all the rules. He said he’d spent Thanksgiving by himself, and taken the same precautions he preached each week from behind a sandy-colored podium adorned with the Worcester city seal.He’s still not sure how he contracted the virus, though he believes it may have something to do with a handyman who’d done emergency repairs at his...…By and | | Edward Augustus Jr. had chalked his Monday morning fatigue up to a restless night’s sleep.But by Tuesday, the Worcester city manager had a runny nose and a sinus headache. By Wednesday, Dec. 9, he’d tested positive for COVID-19.Augustus had followed all the rules. He said he’d spent Thanksgiving by himself, and taken the same precautions he preached each week from behind a sandy-colored podium adorned with the Worcester city seal.He’s still not sure how he contracted the virus, though he believes it may have something to do with a handyman who’d done emergency repairs at his...WW…

By | Massachusetts Republicans who weathered poor showings in federal races and dwindling numbers on Beacon Hill last year will get the chance on Sunday to choose the leader who will usher their party forward into a post-Trump era and the 2022 governor’s race.Jim Lyons, a former state representative from Andover, is seeking re-election to a second two-year term as Massachusetts GOP chairman. Lyons, a pro-Trump conservative, has closely aligned the state party’s messaging to that of the president — a marked split from moderate Republican Gov. Charlie Baker.Lyons is being , his former...…By | Massachusetts Republicans who weathered poor showings in federal races and dwindling numbers on Beacon Hill last year will get the chance on Sunday to choose the leader who will usher their party forward into a post-Trump era and the 2022 governor’s race.Jim Lyons, a former state representative from Andover, is seeking re-election to a second two-year term as Massachusetts GOP chairman. Lyons, a pro-Trump conservative, has closely aligned the state party’s messaging to that of the president — a marked split from moderate Republican Gov. Charlie Baker.Lyons is being , his former...WW…

By | A handful of failed Republican candidates have scaled back the scope of their challenge to the results of the Nov. 3 election in Massachusetts and one — former 9th Congressional District hopeful Helen Brady — has dropped out of the lawsuit altogether.But John Paul Moran, a former 6th Congressional District candidate who’s spearheading the legal challenge, told the Herald the four remaining plaintiffs are forging ahead undeterred.“Our goal here is we want free and fair elections that are done legally and constitutionally,” Moran said. “Everybody benefits from that, so we think the whole...…By | A handful of failed Republican candidates have scaled back the scope of their challenge to the results of the Nov. 3 election in Massachusetts and one — former 9th Congressional District hopeful Helen Brady — has dropped out of the lawsuit altogether.But John Paul Moran, a former 6th Congressional District candidate who’s spearheading the legal challenge, told the Herald the four remaining plaintiffs are forging ahead undeterred.“Our goal here is we want free and fair elections that are done legally and constitutionally,” Moran said. “Everybody benefits from that, so we think the whole...WW…

By | A federal judge laid into five failed Massachusetts Republican state and federal candidates who sued the state this week seeking to throw out millions of ballots cast in the Nov. 3 election over their claims that pandemic-related changes to voting laws were “unconstitutional.”“The election happened over a month ago,” U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs said during a status hearing conducted by telephone Tuesday afternoon. “And you’re asking me to invalidate an entire election that just happened, which just strikes me as — it’s not just unfair to me and the courts and the...…By | A federal judge laid into five failed Massachusetts Republican state and federal candidates who sued the state this week seeking to throw out millions of ballots cast in the Nov. 3 election over their claims that pandemic-related changes to voting laws were “unconstitutional.”“The election happened over a month ago,” U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs said during a status hearing conducted by telephone Tuesday afternoon. “And you’re asking me to invalidate an entire election that just happened, which just strikes me as — it’s not just unfair to me and the courts and the...WW…

By | Former President Barack Obama is drawing some progressive ire after warning in a new interview that politicians and activists lose support when using “snappy” slogans like “defund the police.”Obama addressed the rallying cry to “defund the police” — a slogan that gained voice among protesters who took to the streets over the summer to decry police violence — during a Snapchat interview with journalist Peter Hamby released Wednesday.“If you believe, as I do, that we should be able to reform the criminal justice system so that it’s not biased and treats everybody fairly, I guess you can...…By | Former President Barack Obama is drawing some progressive ire after warning in a new interview that politicians and activists lose support when using “snappy” slogans like “defund the police.”Obama addressed the rallying cry to “defund the police” — a slogan that gained voice among protesters who took to the streets over the summer to decry police violence — during a Snapchat interview with journalist Peter Hamby released Wednesday.“If you believe, as I do, that we should be able to reform the criminal justice system so that it’s not biased and treats everybody fairly, I guess you can...WW…

By | The 2020 presidential election hangs in the balance for another day as the nation anxiously awaits a winner.Biden, unable to deliver victory speech as vote count continues, says ‘we’re going to win’Democratic nominee Joe Biden — inching ever-closer to 270 Electoral College votes but still unable to deliver a victory speech Friday as the clock ticked toward midnight — was looking past the election even as he told supporters to stay “calm” and wait out the count.After a tumultuous race that played out in a hyper-partisan political climate, Biden said, “It’s time for us to come together...…By | The 2020 presidential election hangs in the balance for another day as the nation anxiously awaits a winner.Biden, unable to deliver victory speech as vote count continues, says ‘we’re going to win’Democratic nominee Joe Biden — inching ever-closer to 270 Electoral College votes but still unable to deliver a victory speech Friday as the clock ticked toward midnight — was looking past the election even as he told supporters to stay “calm” and wait out the count.After a tumultuous race that played out in a hyper-partisan political climate, Biden said, “It’s time for us to come together...WW…

By | Elizabeth Warren reportedly intends to make her pitch as treasury secretary in a Biden administration — but the Massachusetts senator’s dreams may be dashed if Republicans retain control of the U.S. Senate, or if Democrats need her to maintain a slim majority.“Elizabeth Warren is unconfirmable in any Cabinet position that has any meaningful regulatory power by a Republican-led Senate,” UMass Lowell political science professor John Cluverius said after that Warren wants the job if Joe Biden wins.“She’s probably the most experienced U.S. senator in managing the bureaucracy,” Cluverius...…By | Elizabeth Warren reportedly intends to make her pitch as treasury secretary in a Biden administration — but the Massachusetts senator’s dreams may be dashed if Republicans retain control of the U.S. Senate, or if Democrats need her to maintain a slim majority.“Elizabeth Warren is unconfirmable in any Cabinet position that has any meaningful regulatory power by a Republican-led Senate,” UMass Lowell political science professor John Cluverius said after that Warren wants the job if Joe Biden wins.“She’s probably the most experienced U.S. senator in managing the bureaucracy,” Cluverius...WW…

By | MANCHESTER, N.H. — Elizabeth Warren is warning Democrats not to grow complacent with nominee Joe Biden’s healthy lead in the polls as President Trump looks to make up ground in his expected return to the campaign trail this week.Biden maintains a nearly double-digit lead over Trump in the Real Clear Politics national polling average, and was up by 16 points in a that showed the president’s support plummeting after his coronavirus diagnosis last week. The former vice president also leads the incumbent by an average of nine points in the Granite State.“I know some of us are looking at...…By | MANCHESTER, N.H. — Elizabeth Warren is warning Democrats not to grow complacent with nominee Joe Biden’s healthy lead in the polls as President Trump looks to make up ground in his expected return to the campaign trail this week.Biden maintains a nearly double-digit lead over Trump in the Real Clear Politics national polling average, and was up by 16 points in a that showed the president’s support plummeting after his coronavirus diagnosis last week. The former vice president also leads the incumbent by an average of nine points in the Granite State.“I know some of us are looking at...WW…

By | GOP congressional hopeful Rayla Campbell is suing the state to secure a spot on the November ballot opposite U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley.The Randolph Republican, who ran a write-in campaign to take on Pressley in the 7th Congressional District, received just more than 1,200 votes in the state primaries last week, according to Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin’s office.Whether that’s enough to earn her a spot on the ballot remains in dispute between Campbell and the state.The secretary’s office claims Campbell didn’t make the cut, citing the statute that says write-in...…By | GOP congressional hopeful Rayla Campbell is suing the state to secure a spot on the November ballot opposite U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley.The Randolph Republican, who ran a write-in campaign to take on Pressley in the 7th Congressional District, received just more than 1,200 votes in the state primaries last week, according to Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin’s office.Whether that’s enough to earn her a spot on the ballot remains in dispute between Campbell and the state.The secretary’s office claims Campbell didn’t make the cut, citing the statute that says write-in...WW…