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GOOD MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. I'm in Nashville for the National Conference of State Legislatures 2019 Legislative Summit, and my life is complete now that I've seen Trace Adkins live. I'm operating on Central Time, so your newsletter is coming a little later than usual. Drop me a line if you're here in Tennessee: smurray@politico.com.
THE CASE FOR MORE EARLY VOTING — Giving voters the option to cast a ballot at home or by mail is more effective at driving up turnout for municipal elections than it is for presidential elections, according to Charles Stewart III, a political science professor at MIT.
Voting experts from around the country shared insights into election issues during the National Conference of State Legislatures 2019 Legislative Summit in Nashville on Wednesday.
In Massachusetts, voters are required to provide an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot, whether it be a religious obligation or a reason for being out of town on Election Day. Mail-in ballots didn't have much bearing on presidential turnout, Stewart said, but in elections that deal with municipal issues like Proposition 2 ½, the property tax rule, the impact is greater.
"If you mail out ballots in those elections, you get big increases," Stewart said.
So what does that mean for next year's statewide primary? Every member of the delegation except for Reps. Katherine Clark and Ayanna Pressley are gearing up to face already-announced or possible primary challengers. But higher-than-normal turnout in the September contest isn't guaranteed like in the presidential race. Stewart said the state should move past absentee ballots that require an excuse and implement more early voting.
"The interesting thing about Massachusetts is it is struggling with how to implement what's essentially no-excuse absentee balloting. That's really the first step. For the last presidential election, Massachusetts instituted early voting. It's now going to have early voting for the [presidential] primaries," Stewart told me.
"At some point Massachusetts is going to really be forced to come up with this problem, that there is demand for more convenience in all elections," Stewart continued. "Having this inconsistent set of laws and practices is a problem to voters."
Stewart said he's had conversations with Massachusetts lawmakers about legislative changes that could streamline early voting in Massachusetts.
"The reaction to the early voting law in 2016 is evidence in Massachusetts voters would really like greater opportunities to vote early and at their convenience. The appetite is for more early voting in person," Stewart said.
SOME EXCITING NEWS: There's a special announcement on this week's Horse Race podcast. I'm joining the show as a co-host with Jennifer Smith and Steve Koczela. Please send me all of your favorite horse-related puns, and make sure to give it a listen. Link.
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Get in touch: smurray@politico.com.
TODAY — Gov. Charlie Baker and Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Pollack release a study from MassDOT on congestion at a press conference. State Senate President Karen Spilka attends a mental health roundtable hosted by Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh attends Mary Longley's National Night Out block party.
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POLITICO AT #TRIBFEST19 — We are excited to partner with The Texas Tribune Festival to bring some of the top journalists from our newsroom to downtown Austin on September 28 for the premier gathering of policymakers and citizens engaged in the most pressing issues of our time. From fixing America's broken politics to understanding how immigration and border policies are shaping the 2020 landscape, join us for big-thinking conversations with top leaders and experts in the field. Learn more about the festival HERE. Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Email Us
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 | DATELINE BEACON HILL |
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— "SIXTEEN PETITIONS FOR NEW LAWS, CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES FILED," by Matt Murphy, State House News Service:"As many as 13 questions could be headed to the 2020 ballot and three addition Constitutional amendments were proposed by Wednesday's deadline to file initial proposals with Attorney General Maura Healey's office for review. The new laws proposed by the potential ballot questions range from the use of ranked-choice voting in Massachusetts elections to a requirement that all gun owners store their weapon in a certified gun safe. The three Constitutional amendments proposed would restore voting rights to people with felony convictions, declare that corporations are not people and can be regulated by campaign finance laws, and seek to restrict public funding of abortion."
— "Despite fears of diversion, Massachusetts jails prepare to offer medication assisted treatment for drug addiction," by Shira Schoenberg, Springfield Republican: "The top item smuggled into Massachusetts jails is the anti-addiction drug Suboxone, according to Middlesex County Sheriff Peter Koutoujian. Yet next month, medical staff in the Middlesex County jail will begin distributing Suboxone, a type of opioid, to some inmates as part of their treatment for drug addiction. "There will be attempts to divert this substance. It's clearly what we should expect," Koutoujian said. "That doesn't mean we shouldn't offer it." In September, seven county jails will begin offering medication assisted treatment to inmates addicted to drugs."
— "GOVERNOR LAYING LOW AND DRAWING ATTENTION FOR IT," by Colin A. Young, State House News Service: "With the Legislature on recess and the halls of Beacon Hill quiet, the Democratic Party on Wednesday took aim at Gov. Charlie Baker and his whereabouts, suggesting the governor is "dodging or hiding" from something. Baker's office has not released a public schedule for the governor any day this week. Around noon Wednesday, the Democrats posted a Twitter poll asking their supporters why they think Baker has not held a public event yet this week."
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| WHAT CITY HALL IS READING |
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— "After aides' trial ends in guilty verdict, what's next for Marty Walsh?" by Milton J. Valencia, Boston Globe: "The federal convictions of two top City Hall aides for extorting a concert promoter into hiring union workers could trail Mayor Martin J. Walsh as he embarks on future negotiations with labor unions and other advocacy groups, as well as in his own political career, according to legal and political analysts who followed the case. Allegations that aides Kenneth Brissette and Timothy Sullivan pressured the concert promoter into hiring union labor, under the fear of losing out on lucrative permits vital to the event, date back to 2014, the onset of Walsh's administration. He had sidestepped questions about the case in handily winning reelection two years ago."
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| FROM THE HUB |
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— "Rookie operator blamed for Green Line derailment in Newton," by Emily Sweeney and John Ellement, Boston Globe:"The rookie operator of a Green Line train is being blamed for the derailment of a car at the Riverside station in Newton that disrupted the Wednesday morning commute for D line passengers for several hours. The head of the MBTA issued an apology in response. The two-car train was departing the station around 6 a.m. when the second car derailed. At the time, there was only one passenger on the train and no injuries were reported, according to MBTA spokesman Joseph Pesaturo. The T singled out the operator of the train as the cause. The unnamed operator was hired in March."
— "South Bay crackdown raises concerns," by Yawu Miller, Bay State Banner: "The surveillance video revealed a disturbing scene: on Aug. 1, a corrections officer on his way to the South Bay jail stops his car in the middle of Atkinson Street, exits his car and, following a brief confrontation, is brutally beaten by a group of men. The reaction to the beating was swift. Police moved in the same day, and with what officers called "Operation Clean Sweep" moved the assemblage of homeless people and drug users out of the area surrounding the jail and arresting 19, most on outstanding warrants."
— "Most Mass. Counties Have Among The Highest Rates Of Dispensing Overdose-Reversal Drug," by Martha Bebinger and Ally Jarmanning, WBUR: "Massachusetts has among the highest rates of dispensing naloxone, the drug that can reverse an opioid overdose, according to new federal data. Among counties nationwide, Franklin County in western Massachusetts last year had the fourth-highest rate of prescriptions for naloxone — commonly sold under the brand name Narcan — with more than 2,200 prescriptions filled for every 100,000 residents. Though lagging far behind Franklin County, eight other of the state's 14 counties were also in the top 25% for prescription rates across the U.S., according to the data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
— "The former gaming commission chairman offers first impression of Encore: 'Holy cow!'" by Shirley Leung, Boston GLobe: "If you can believe it, the Encore Boston Harbor has been open for more than a month, and [Steve] Crosby — who as the state's first gaming commission chairman was instrumental in it coming about — had not yet checked out the casino until I invited him to lunch. Over the course of about two hours, he walked the casino floor, posed for a picture with Jeff Koons's $28 million Popeye sculpture, and gawked at the flower-covered carousel ("holy cow!"). For the most part, it was hard for the former gaming regulator to contain his enthusiasm. He acted as if the state had hit the jackpot."
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| DAY IN COURT |
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— "Two City Hall officials convicted of conspiring to extort Boston Calling founders," by Maria Cramer, John R. Ellement and Martin Finucane, Boston Globe: "Two top aides to Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh were convicted Wednesday of conspiring to extort organizers of the Boston Calling music festival. Kenneth Brissette, the city's director of tourism, and Timothy Sullivan, chief of intergovernmental affairs, were charged in US District Court in Boston with illegally pressuring Crash Line Productions into hiring nine members of a stagehands union to please Walsh, a former union leader with close ties to organized labor. Jurors, who had deliberated for only a few hours, convicted Brissette of both charges he faced — Hobbs Act conspiracy and Hobbs Act extortion, according to US Attorney Andrew Lelling's office. Sullivan was convicted of Hobbs Act conspiracy but acquitted of Hobbs Act extortion."
— "MGM sues over federal approval of tribal casino deal in Connecticut," The Associated Press: "Casino developer MGM has filed a lawsuit challenging the federal approval of a deal that would allow Connecticut's two Indian tribes to open a third casino in East Windsor, less than 20 miles from MGM Springfield. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Washington challenges the Department of the Interior's approval of amendments to the gaming compact between the state and the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes."
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| WARREN REPORT |
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— "Elizabeth Warren has a plan for everything. What about guns?" by Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe: "Last weekend's senseless carnage thrust the politics of gun control into the center of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary, prompting numerous candidates to make or reiterate full-throated calls for sweeping gun reforms, like assault weapons buy-backs or national licensing systems. Among the candidates who have yet to release a detailed gun safety policy is an unexpected name: Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts Senator who has made ambitious and progressive policy proposals the bedrock of her presidential race. There are 29 policy announcements listed on Warren's campaign website, but none of them specifically mention guns."
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| MOULTON MATTERS |
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— "Moulton admits not qualifying for 2020 Dem debates makes bid more 'challenging,'" by Paul Steinhauser, Fox News: "Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts says he's "not a quitter." But the long-shot for the Democratic presidential nomination acknowledged that if he doesn't make the stage for the third and fourth rounds of primary debates in September and October 'it definitely makes it more challenging' to continue his White House bid."
— "Seth Moulton disputes report that he's laying off half of campaign staff," by Nicole Sganga, CBS News: Rep. Seth Moulton is disputing a report that his 2020 presidential campaign is shedding staff. "It's absolutely not true," the Massachusetts Democrat told CBS News in an interview. The long-shot candidate added, "That's about as accurate as a Donald Trump press conference." The Washington Post reported Wednesday morning that Moulton recently informed his campaign team that he planned to lay off at least half of them."
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| FROM THE DELEGATION |
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— "Rep. Lynch Says Gun Control Is In Mitch McConnell's Hands," by Arjun Singh, WGBH News: "After two mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton this weekend, Rep. Stephen Lynch said he believes it's time for Congress to pass a universal background check bill, but has no faith in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to help move it through the Senate. "Right now, he's just got a hold on it, and he has said over the past couple of days that he won't bring it up," Lynch said during an interview with Boston Public Radio on Wednesday. "I'm not sure if Mitch is more committed to the president's agenda or the NRA's agenda." On Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump told reporters that he thinks Congress is getting close to sending a universal background check bill to his desk, but Lynch said he '[doesn't] know what the president is talking about.'"
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| TRUMPACHUSETTS |
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— "'It's no surprise, because Donald Trump hates us': At a Chelsea church, congregants say they're scared," by Yvonne Abraham, Boston Globe: "It's hard to imagine Vicar Edgar Gutiérrez-Duarte and the parishioners at his Chelsea church feeling more afraid, given the miseries of the last few years. Yet, here they are. Stung by President Trump's dehumanizing rhetoric about black and brown people, terrified of arrest by immigration officers that might rip them from their families, members of the Episcopal Church of San Lucas are now reckoning with another fear that is suddenly more immediate after last weekend's carnage in El Paso: that some white supremacist, emboldened by the president and his enablers, might take it upon himself to attack their community, too."
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| KENNEDY COMPOUND |
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— "What's life like as a young Kennedy now? A mix of fame, obscurity and trauma." by Avi Selk and Lisa Bonos, Washington Post: "Over the weekend, about 30 Kennedys gathered around a firepit in Hyannis Port, Mass., telling stories about Saoirse Kennedy Hill, their 22-year-old cousin who died Thursday. Saoirse's uncle, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., shared a blurry snapshot on Instagram: Several of the adults rest their feet against the edge of the firepit, just inches from the flames. Children pile onto laps, sharing a red and white star-spangled blanket. Surrounded by darkness, the fire illuminating their faces, the family members are indistinguishable from a distance. Along with the somber image, RFK Jr. posted pictures of happier times: Saoirse, smiling and goofy, with her cousins at the beach, on the family sailboat, jumping off buoys, interlocking arms and sharing an ice cream cone."
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| MARIJUANA IN MASSACHUSETTS |
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— "Fall River mayor draws heat over granting marijuana approvals to girlfriend's brother," by Naomi Martin, Boston Globe: "The embattled Fall River mayor came under new fire Wednesday for granting a key city approval to his girlfriend's brother to open two marijuana stores. City councilors and a government watchdog group said Mayor Jasiel Correia II's decision was improper and he should have recused himself to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. "I don't think it's quite proper," said City Councilor Stephen Long. "It's a little strange, but hey, it's not illegal. He didn't do anything illegal, at least on this." It was the latest controversy for Correia, 27, who also faces federal fraud and tax evasion charges. He was both recalled and reelected in the same election in March."
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| ABOVE THE FOLD |
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— Herald: "METHADONE MILE MELTDOWN," — Globe: "City hall aides guilty in Boston Calling case," "Challengers eager to take on Mass. incumbents."
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| ON THE STUMP |
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— "'The era of waiting your turn is being dismantled': Democrats line up to run for Congress in Mass." by Victoria McGrane, Boston Globe: "Massachusetts is producing a bumper-crop of primary challengers this election season — an early indication that the state's long tradition of respecting incumbency could be crumbling. Many of these candidates have cited congresswoman Ayanna Pressley's victory over longtime incumbent Michael E. Capuano as part of the reason for their efforts — including Alex Morse, the 30-year-old, four-term mayor of Holyoke seeking to oust Richard Neal, one of the most senior — and powerful — members of the delegation, who represents Western Massachusetts ."
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| FROM THE 413 |
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— "Red Cross says it likely will end bloodmobiles in Central and Western Massachusetts," by Jim Kinney, Springfield Republican:"In a cost-cutting move, the American Red Cross announced this week that it has made the "tentative" decision to stop mobile blood collections in central and Western Massachusetts. The decision will eliminate as many as 68 jobs, according to a news release. The Red Cross said it is negotiating with the union representing its employees."
— "Massachusetts auditor Suzanne Bump rejects proposal to privatize HCC bookstore," by Matt Berg, The Springfield Republican: "Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump on Friday rejected a proposal by Holyoke Community College that would have privatized the operations of the college's bookstore. An approval would have made HCC the last community college in the state to privatize its bookstore. "At a time when colleges and universities are struggling to reduce the cost of higher education, we are disappointed by the state auditor's decision," said William Fogarty, vice president for administration and finance at HCC."
— "Berkshires' 2 city mayors back Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition," by Scott Stafford, The Berkshire Eagle: "North Adams Mayor Thomas Bernard and Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer have expressed their commitment to principles endorsed by a collection of hundreds of mayors across the country in the wake of last weekend's massacres in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. The two attacks left a combined 31 dead and more than 50 wounded, leaving the nation reeling anew from news of mass shootings. In a joint statement, the mayors of the Berkshires' two cities announced their support for the Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition. Bernard expressed frustration with the pattern that has formed after a mass shooting unfolds ."
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Artificial intelligence. Facial recognition. Lightning fast networks. Rapid technological change is transforming the consumer experience, upending entire industries, and challenging the way lawmakers craft policy. How are some of the world's leading companies innovating to avoid extinction? Tune into POLITICO's "Global Translations" podcast to hear from Stephen Bird, the CEO of Citi's Global Consumer Bank and Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, in a special branded episode by Citi. Subscribe and listen now: Apple Podcasts -Spotify - Stitcher |
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| THE LOCAL ANGLE |
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— "Somerville won $10 million to open a new high school and it went downhill from there," by Tara García Mathewson, Boston Globe Magazine: "ALEC RESNICK AND SHAUNALYNN DUFFY stood in Somerville City Hall at about 6:30 on March 18, a night they hoped would launch the next chapter of their lives. The two had spent nearly seven years designing a new kind of high school meant to address the needs of students who didn't thrive in a traditional setting. They'd developed a projects-driven curriculum that would give students nearly unprecedented control over what they would learn in a small, supportive environment. Resnick and Duffy had spent countless hours shepherding this school through the political thickets that all new public schools face. Approval by the teachers union, which became the most time-consuming obstacle, had finally come through in early January. Tonight, the School Committee members would cast their votes."
TRANSITIONS — Heidi A. Seely of Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster was appointed co-chair of the Public Policy Committee of the Boston Bar Association trusts and estates section.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Vinay Mehra, president and CFO of The Boston Globe.
DID THE HOME TEAM WIN? Not yet! The game between the Royals and Red Sox was suspended in the top of the 10th inning due to rain. The score is tied, 4-4, and the game will be resumed on Aug. 22 at 1:05 p.m.
Want to make an impact? POLITICO Massachusetts has a variety of solutions available for partners looking to reach and activate the most influential people in the Bay State. Have a petition you want signed? A cause you're promoting? Seeking to increase brand awareness among this key audience? Share your message with our influential readers to foster engagement and drive action. Contact Jesse Shapiro to find out how: jshapiro@politico.com.
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