Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

The Evening News

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We’re closing in on 100 field reports from Great Barrington to the South End and Worcester to Middleborough and way out there in the Atlantic on Martha’s Vineyard. Tell us what you see as we begin the final lap to 8.00 PM. Comment away!

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  1. I worked at my local headquarters this afternoon phonebanking. The response was tremendous even though there were lots of left messages the people that I talked to were highly motivated to get to the polls or enthusiastic to report they had already voted.
    “I/We took care of our guy.”
    “Thanks for callimg, get off the line with me – we’re good.”
    “Thanks for doing this today”
    “I know, I know. I voted. She can’t win it like this.”

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    The regional coordinators gave us a little pep speech at about 4 o’clock: The turnout is good and strong for Patrick. Even in places that they thought might be rough, things look very positive. Keep calling, it’s working.

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    I predict:
    55% Patrick
    13% Mihos
    3% Ross
    29% Healey

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    I would absolutely love to see Muffy finish under 30. It would be a needed repudiation of the politics of Muffy.

  2. Steady voting in Sturbridge in morning and at mid-day.  Sidewalks was thick with Healey/Hillman sign-holders on Main Street as well as near polls.  Little question it’s a Healey/Hillman (Hillman’s home) town.

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    Nearby Charlton wasn’t that busy at midday. Charlton went for Bush in 2004 and since then is home for many new residents in the Masonic Active Community that was completed in July. It too will likely lean Healey/Hillman, but it will be interesting to see what this new influx of several hundred retirees will do to the numbers.

      • Singer has a very good chance in the Worcester 6th.  Incumbent Democrat, Mark Caron, not running.  1st Hampden seat would appear (IMHO) to be safe and sound.

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  3. The voter told poll worker Jeffery Steitz that he didn’t want to vote in a judicial election because he didn’t know enough about the candidates, but Steitz told him he had to vote in the race anyway, Yates said.

    Steitz, 42, eventually grabbed the man by the neck and threw him out of the polling place, Yates said.

    “The poor guy went back in and he threw him out again,” Yates said. “At least it wasn’t over a Democrat or a Republican being on the ballot.”

    Election officials called police.

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    And you thought COS was tough!

  4. making the rounds.  He paused at Ward 1 in Pittsfield (Reid Middle School, where I teach) at about 3 p.m.  Lots of people holding signs for him, all very upbeat.  I can only imagine how tired he is at this stage of the campaign, but he looked cheerful.  High turnout at Reid.

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    At Ward 7 in Pittsfield (Capeless School, where I vote) the polling place was packed at about 3:30 p.m.  People had to wait for a booth to open so they could mark their ballots.

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    The 8th grade Social Studies class across the hall discussed the election today.  I ducked in to explain some background about liquor licenses. 

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    As I reall, Jimmy Carter was running his first campaign for President when I was in Middle School.  I was in Ann Arbor, MI, and Gerald Ford was the favorite son – hard for local folks there to support someone against a former Wolverine football player.  I wonder whether any of the kids in Middle School now will remember anything about this election?

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    I’m off to our cable access tv station to provide some color commentary as the votes are counted tonight.  Tune in at 8 p.m. to Pittsfield Community Television!

  6. Had over 25 unique student voters from the College that I gave rides to today!  Some of the regulars were at headquarters, others doing lots of vis at our polling place (some Healley/Hillman people, but gone when I did my last run to the polls about an hour ago).  We’re having a rockin’ party tonight to celebrate our victories!  đŸ™‚  There weren’t any lines all day at our poll, but I was told but a poll worker “there was a steady stream of voters all day–lots of people have come out.”  (And us Wellesley women are curious to know is there a minimum age requirement to be a polling worker…?)

    • So the vast vast majority of Wellesley women should qualify. Having been at Wellesley, I’d love nothing more than for Wellesley women to truly take an adult responsibility in their community and both vote and participate in local elections more often. 

  7. The first exit polls are out. These are general, not candidate specific though some candidate specific data is likely to start leaking not that news orgs have them.

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    The good news for Dems is that 62% say they voted on national issues.

  8. My wife got her flu shot on Saturday, had a minor case that afternoon abut then was fine: I seem to have caught the supposedly dead viruses from her, so I’ve been disappointingly under the weather today. I forced myself to go to the phonebank, and did a page and half of calls before needing to head back home. I stayed home the rest of the day and accidentally slept through a projessor of mine talking about string theory on NPR (though why they put that show on election day, who knows). I had hoped to go in to Hynes, but we’;e just gonna go to an election night party accross the street instead. Hope everyone has a good time.

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    Thanks agian Ari for driving me around đŸ™‚

  9. At 600, 2800 ballots had been cast at a polling locations (precincts 1 and 5) with 5300 registered voters. That already beat turnout in 2002.

  10. Nobody holding them.  It was like the signage equivalent of robo-calls in Groveland

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    Long lines that moved well.  We have nice experperienced long time election officials and paper ballots. 

  11. Arrived home at about..
    At 9:15AM  325 out of 1850
    At 12:00PM  475  ”
    At 415 PM  675  “

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    I Left at 4:30 just as the sky looked like it would open up and rain.

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    Getting numbers was hard, because the precinct space was so tight.

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    When line formed – my wheelchair could not get thru unless they moved the line aside.-

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    Worc. will have live Ward/Precinct tallies on our local Cable access channel.

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    Will do my best to update, but the first tallies aren’t expected ’til 8:30, with all the problems with machines etc.

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    TBC….in the meantime,Together we can, Together we will!
    And tonight together we 

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    Barb in Worc.

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