On cost concerns, legislative rebukes and landslide wins, there’s more than meets the eye

Winter Is Coming. We're Here to Help You Prepare: Winter readiness starts long before temperatures drop. National Grid works year-round to strengthen and maintain the energy system Massachusetts communities depend on. As colder weather approaches, explore resources including energy-saving tips, customer assistance programs, and budget plan options designed to help you prepare for the season ahead — Explore Resources.

Before polls opened Tuesday, elections chief Bill Galvin was vexed by “cross indicators” — some signs pointed that turnout would be up, others down. There won’t be a full and official answer on turnout numbers for days to come, but preliminary tallies show somewhere around 2.5 million people voted in the race for governor.

By the time all those ballots had been counted, Massachusetts voters had put up their own cross indicators, including expressing a distrust of the Legislature while sometimes voting the way lawmakers preferred. A review of the results shows some places where voters sent mixed messages, signaling that their preferences can’t always be defined through one simple narrative. And a few towns bucked the blue wave, providing a tiny dollop of consolation for the routed GOP. Here are some highlights:

PRODDING THE LEGISLATURE: Voters want more of a say in how the House and Senate work, without necessarily disagreeing with lawmakers elsewhere or wanting to usher them out. The question that would apply the public records law to the Legislature and governor’s office got more than 2 million votes, the most of anything — or anyone — on the ballot. Supporters say it shows constituents want more accountability and transparency from their state government. Those same constituents reelected all but a handful of incumbents in primary and general elections, and ultimately sided with legislative leaders in rejecting Question 3, which sought to blow up the party primary system in favor of a model where all candidates run on one ballot and the top two advance to the general. The Yes on 3 campaign had touted their effort, too, as a way to get politicians to listen, though opponents argued it was the wrong solution.

Voters gave state lawmakers another win in rejecting a measure budget-writers warned could hamstring their ability to finance public programs, the tax rebate proposal in Question 5. Meanwhile, numbers compiled by Act on Mass show at least 16 municipalities backed non-binding questions that would change how lawmakers get paid, another issue put on the ballot in the name of transparency and accountability.

TAX DRIVERS: In an election cycle where "affordability" was among candidates' top buzzwords (perhaps second only to "Trump") and polls consistently flagged cost concerns, not only did Bay State voters come down 52-48 against the question designed to send them more frequent tax rebates from state government, but a couple towns showed a willingness to at least slightly hike their own property taxes to pay for open space, historic preservation and affordable housing. Reading and Monterrey voted to adopt the Community Preservation Act, agreeing to a new property tax surcharge to support local projects. In Reading, voters essentially said they're OK with a tax increase as long as it's not too big — they simultaneously rejected a $6.5 million Proposition 2 1/2 override that town leaders said could avert layoffs for school and municipal workers, at a cost of an estimated $736 for the typical homeowner.

GEOGRAPHIC OUTLIERS: The public-records reform prevailed in all 339 communities where preliminary vote totals were available Wednesday, but unofficial tallies show other lopsided races fell short of clean sweeps. While the northeast corner of the state otherwise went blue for governor, Senate and Congress, the town of Middleton is unique in the region for picking Republicans Mike Minogue, John Deaton and Micah Jones. Minogue also led in Dracut, Lynnfield, Saugus and Rowley, while losing his hometown of Hamilton. Winchendon, a small town along the New Hampshire border, is the only community that leaned for Republican Gary Grossi over U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, by a 22-vote margin, while independent Nadia Milleron posted better numbers than Rep. Richard Neal in Southwick, Blandford, Granville and Chester, communities that also voted for Deaton and Minogue. Dover is the only town whose residents voted to end recreational marijuana sales, with 53% voting yes on Question 8. The arguments for overhauling the primary elections won over the Worcester County town of Petersham, where 594 people voted for Question 3 and 470 voted no.

Are you finding anything surprising as you dive into Tuesday's results? Fill me in at [email protected]

HAPPENING TODAY

10:00 | Gov. Healey, Mayor Wu, Treasurer Goldberg and other state and local officials, business leaders and community members participate in the Greater Boston Food Bank's annual Chain of Giving, forming a human chain to pass turkeys through the food bank's warehouse to be distributed to families across eastern Mass | Greater Boston Food Bank warehouse, 70 South Bay Ave., Boston

10:00 | Homeless and at-risk youth social services agency Bridge Over Troubled Waters and nonprofits More Than Words and HopeWell host a discussion about state policy and budget matters affecting children and youth services over the next two years. The event aims to kick off National Homeless Youth Awareness Month | Room 428

10:00 | Sen. Brady hosts an advocacy day regarding fetal alcohol spectrum disorder | Great Hall

11:00 | House meets in an informal session | House Chamber

12:00 | Sen. Markey holds a media availability to discuss Democratic victories in this year’s midterm elections | Outside of Dempsey’s Breakfast and Lunch, 64 Lambert St., Medford

12:30 | Senators gather to celebrate the defeat of a ballot question to repeal the 2024 gun law. Senate President Spilka and Majority Leader Creem plan to attend as well as Middlesex DA Marian Ryan and Ruth Zakarin of the Mass. Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence | State House steps

1:00 | Senate holds formal session to consider a $2.61 billion spending bill (S 3290) to close the books on fiscal 2026, and more. Senators have filed 123 amendments | Senate Chamber

1:00 | State Library of Massachusetts and the Office of Veterans Services hosts an Author Talk with photojournalist Bill Brett on his book, "Boston Veterans Appreciation." Brett will be in conversation with Veterans Services Secretary Eric Goralnick | State Library, Room 341 | More Info and Livestream

3:30 | CREDA Massachusetts hosts a presentation by members of the South Station Tower project team on the development and construction of the tower, which was built above South Station, and how it ties into the surrounding neighborhood and transit infrastructure | South Station Tower, 680 Atlantic Ave., Boston | Register

6:00 | MassDOT holds live virtual public info hearing to discuss New Bedford I-95/Route 18 Interchange rehabilitation project. Beginning in December, the ramp from I-95 east to Route 18 south will be closed through the spring of 2029. The existing I-195 eastbound bridge will be demolished, and then construction of the new bridge will begin | Register

JOB BOARD

Managing Director of Development and Communications — NEW, Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice

Real Estate Project Manager — NEW, Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance

Senior Legal Advisor, Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General

Program Officer for Science, Engineering, and Technology, American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Senior Transportation Engineer, City of Newton

Chief Economic Development Officer, City of Chelsea

Commission Counsel, Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination

Job board continues below the fold — post a job

ON BEACON HILL

DEMS IN THE HOUSE: Speaker Ron Mariano says the Democratic supermajority picked up a net of four more seats in the Mass. House, knocking off incumbent GOP Reps. David Vieira and Marc Lombardo and flipping two other seats. Mariano's also counting a win in a race that hasn't been officially called, between Republican Rep. John Gaskey and Democrat Sarah Hewins. Bucking the trend is Acushnet Republican Jesse St. Gelais, who unseated Democrat Rep. Steven Ouellette. | State House News Service (gift link)

SPLIT-LEVEL HOMES: The still-to-close-to-call Question 7 around lot size requirements for single-family homes, backed by denser, Boston-area communities and opposed by smaller towns and some wealthy suburbs, illustrates the deep divide over how to handle the state's housing crisis. | Boston Globe

2030 VISION: Fresh off his loss to Gov. Healey, Mike Minogue says he'd consider another run for governor. The former medical device executive suggests a U.S. Senate bid isn't in the cards, saying the only political post that interests him is as CEO of Massachusetts. | Boston Herald

THE $19.5 MILLION QUESTION: Despite pouring almost $20 million of his personal wealth into his campaign, Mike Minogue ended up nearly mirroring the result of Geoff Diehl, the last Republican to run against Maura Healey. President Trump's ability to attract voters in 2024, reddening cities like Fall River and Lawrence, did not necessarily translate into support for a gubernatorial nominee, though the GOP appeared to make inroads in some rural areas, affluent suburbs and parts of southeastern Mass. | State House News Service (gift link)

WHAT’S NEXT: The clout of Massachusetts' all-Democrat Congressional delegation could mean it's "back into Tip O'Neill times," with plenty of allies for Gov. Healey as she works toward a term-two agenda featuring housing production and protections for workers in the AI era. | Boston Globe

NEWS NEXT DOOR

COURT REPORT: On the first day a new state law prohibiting warrantless civil immigration arrests at courthouses took effect, advocates say they've already seen it violated. | GBH News

CLARK SPEAKS: Congresswoman Katherine Clark, poised to become the first woman to serve as House majority leader, says she'll bring the voices of moms she's met across Massachusetts and the country to congress. Her top near-term goal is restoring Republican cuts. | WBUR

McGOVERN’S RULES: Congressman Jim McGovern, who expects to once again chair the U.S. House Rules Committee, says he wants to "restore some sanity to Congress," both pursuing "accountability" for President Trump and working with him where there's common ground. In McGovern's first go-round as chair, he wielded the gavel his father once used to preside over the Worcester County Package Store Association.| Telegram & Gazette

SPONSORED Preparing for Winter, Putting Massachusetts Customers First: National Grid is helping customers manage energy costs while investing in the gas and electric systems that keep homes warm, businesses running and communities connected. | Learn more

MORE HEADLINES

A teen knocked off a sitting Mass. lawmaker. He’s among the youngest members of Tuesday’s blue wave.

Family of cyclist killed in Mission Hill pleads for action to improve Boston street safety

Boston City Council votes to condemn ‘draconian’ MIAA decision to boot English High football out of playoffs

Haverhill Residents Vote To Approve Cannabis Cafes In Town

The World Cup Was The Biggest BPD Overtime Event In Boston History

Lithium-ion batteries caused fire that led to Boston firefighter's death in Dorchester

JOB BOARD

Individual and Corporate Giving Manager, Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation

Legislative Director, Massachusetts AFL-CIO

Litigation Attorney, Disability Law Center

Director, Regulatory Affairs, Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers