New England Public Radio

Massachusetts Governor Patrick’s Legacy

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is waiting, like the rest of the state, for the outcome of Tuesday’s voting. So, what does a soon-to-be ex-governor do on Election Day?

“Well, one thing you don’t do is sit idly by. I’ve been trying to encourage people to get out and vote,” Patrick says.

As for his legacy, Patrick says he supports the law legalizing casino gambling, which could be repealed by a ballot question Tuesday. But even if it stays on the books, he doesn’t think it will be a hallmark of his tenure in office.

“There’s so much more happening in advance manufacturing, in life sciences, in biotech and clean-tech, in a whole range of digital technologies that’s transforming all parts of the commonwealth,” he says.

Patrick says, on his plans for the future, he and his wife Diane love Massachusetts, and hope to stay.

Slow And Steady Voter Turnout In Springfield As Voters Weigh Casino Measure

Voters throughout the region have been heading to the polls all day, with a few hours to go before results start to come in.

It was fairly quiet mid-morning at the Springfield Fire Department headquarters, a polling place in the city’s first ward. Poll worker Jacquelyn Kinney says by 10:30 a.m., just over 100 people had voted.

“It’s kind of slow, picking up, but kind of slow. It’s at a slow pace, but we’re getting them in constantly,” says Kinney.

One issue that may drive turnout in Springfield is the ballot referendum on casinos. The outcome of the vote will determine whether a proposed casino in the city’s South End will be built. At a polling place in that neighborhood, Stanley Edwards stood with a pro-casino “Vote No” sign. He says that brought this response from a fellow voter:

“One guy come by, and he wrote ‘yes’ here,” says Edwards, pointing to the “no” on his sign. “We said, ‘hey, thanks for coming out anyways, pal.”

Polling places in both Massachusetts and Connecticut are open until 8 p.m. tonight.

 

Wednesday Is The Last Day To Register To Vote In Mass.

Wednesday is the final day to register to vote in Massachusetts before the November elections. Voter registration cards need to be postmarked by 8 p.m. tomorrow, but a spokesperson for the Secretary of State says it’s probably more reliable to register in person at a local elections office. Some of those offices will be open for longer than normal hours.

“We will be staying open until 8 p.m.,” says Brenna Murphy McGee, city clerk of Holyoke.

McGee says voters don’t need to bring identification when they register.

“They just need to know the last four digits of their social security number, or their [driver’s] license number,” says McGee. “But they don’t have to have their license to register to vote.”

McGee says 306 new voters in Holyoke have registered since the September 9th primary. She says she expects a steady stream in the final hours of registration. Wednesday is also the deadline for voters to change their address or party affiliation.

Meanwhile Connecticut residents can register online or by mail until October 21st, and in person until October 28th.

Allen Won’t Seek Recount In Tight Democratic Senate Primary

Springfield City Councilor Tim Allen says he will not seek a recount in a state senate race. That’s after Allen lost the Democratic primary to Eric Lesser by about 200 votes. Allen was not eligible to seek a district-wide recount. But he could have requested recounts for individual wards, precincts, or towns. Allen had until 5 p.m. Thursday to submit paperwork for any recounts.

“I did considerable analysis just talking to election officials, looking at numbers, etc., and decided not to pursue it,” says Allen.

Allen wouldn’t say whether or not he’ll support Eric Lesser in the general election. Lesser, a former aide to President Obama, will take on Republican Deb Boronski in November.

Anthony Gulluni Wins Race For Hampden County DA

Anthony Gulluni will be the next District Attorney in Hampden County. He won the four-way Democratic primary last night, and faces no Republicans or Independents in November.

After results showed him holding a wide and steady lead over his three opponents, Gulluni walked into a packed room of supporters at Samuel’s bar at the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Gulluni said he was excited, and “I’m just so happy and thankful to the voters first and foremost, and the people who helped me, and my family and friends. It’s an incredible feeling, very gratifying.”

Gulluni beat out 3 opponents in the race, with 45 percent of the vote. Brett Vottero was the closest runner up, with 28 percent. Vottero says he was disappointed with the low turnout in the race.

“The district attorney has a profound impact on the economic vitality of the city,” said Vottero. “Addressing crime is the first step towards bringing out economic vitality back. So to me, this race should have received a lot more attention from the media, from the business community, from the citizens.”

Vottero, who also lost the 2010 Democratic primary for DA, was clearly sad about the loss, but went with another candidate, Shawn Allyn, to Gulluni’s party to congratulate the winner.

According to the Springfield Republican newspaper, Anthony Gulluni will the youngest ever Hampden DA, at 33 years old. But he’s not exactly an outsider. He’s been an assistant DA for nearly six years, he was endorsed by former Hampden DA Bill Bennett, and in a speech to supporters, Gulluni profusely thanked a top aide to Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Jim Leydon, who he called an adviser.

With the race over, Gulluni says his next step is to get some rest. After that?

“We’ll start thinking about getting things organized, and carrying out the job the voters have given us, and carrying out our campaign promises,” Gulluni said.

Gulluni will officially take office in January. He replaces interim D-A James Orenstein, who’s been running the office since former district attorney Mark Mastroianni was confirmed as a federal judge in June.

Winner of Hampden DA Race Faces A Hefty Caseload

Democratic voters in Hampden County will choose the area’s next district attorney in Tuesday’s primary, and the winner will face big challenges once in office.

MORE: New England Public Radio’s primary election voter guide

There’s been no public polling for the Hampden DA race, so it’s difficult to know who’s ahead. Shawn Allyn, Hal Etkin, Anthony Gulluni, and Brett Vottero all have a variety of legal experience, but none have held elected office. All are lawyers, and all but Allyn have worked for the Hampden DA in the past.

Current District Attorney James Orenstein says the winner will have to focus on hiring and retaining qualified prosecutors, particularly for homicides.

“We have, presently pending, approximately twenty homicide cases that are scheduled [for trial] sometime between now and the end of next year,” says Orenstein. “We have a number of unsolved homicide cases, including cold cases that we continue to work on.”

Orenstein is not running for the post, and neither are any Republicans or Independents, so the winner of the Democratic Primary will be the next DA.