Massachusetts
Election Day is Tuesday for 55 cities and towns in Massachusetts. Here’s what’s on the ballot.
Tuesday, Nov. 4 is Election Day for 55 cities and towns across Massachusetts.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at most locations. Click here to find your polling place.
Here’s a look at what’s on the ballot in some notable municipal elections.
Boston election
Mayor Michelle Wu is unopposed in her bid for a second term after winning big in the preliminary election over Josh Kraft, who then dropped out of the race
Incumbent city councilors-at-large Erin Murphy, Henry Santana, Ruthzee Louijeune and Julia Mejia are running for re-election, while former City Council Frank Baker is trying to make a comeback.
In District 7, Rev. Miniard Culpepper and Said “Coach” Ahmed are running for the seat vacated by former Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, who pleaded guilty to public corruption charges.
Somerville mayor’s race
Incumbent Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne ran for re-election, but did not advance past the preliminary stage. Two city councilors, Democratic socialist Willie Burnley Jr. and Jake Wilson are facing off. According to Axios Boston, Burnley Jr. would be Somerville’s first Black, openly queer and polyamorous mayor.
Everett mayoral election
Carlo DeMaria has been the mayor of Everett since 2008. He is running against City Councilor Robert Van Campen, who has highlighted an Inspector General report that said DeMaria was improperly paid $180,000 in “longevity payments.” DeMaria has said he was entitled to receive annual salary adjustments.
Lawrence election
Incumbent Brian De Pena is facing off against Juan “Manny” Gonzalez in the mayor’s race.
Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin’s office said it will be monitoring the election after “numerous complaints” about absentee ballot applications.
Brockton race for mayor
Brockton voters will make history by electing City Councilor Jean Bradley Derenoncourt or City Councilor Moises Rodrigues as the city’s first mayor of color.
Melrose override
Melrose residents are voting on three override options to fund city and school services, ranging between $9.3 million and $13.5 million. Property taxes would increase on average between $948 and $1,374 for homeowners. The highest dollar amount that receives a majority of votes would take effect.
Where elections are happening in Massachusetts
Below are the cities and towns holding elections on Tuesday, according to the secretary of the Commonwealth:
- Agawam (8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)
- Amesbury
- Amherst
- Attleboro
- Barnstable
- Beverly
- Boston
- Braintree
- Brockton
- Cambridge
- Chelsea
- Chicopee (7 a.m. – 7 p.m.)
- Easthampton
- Everett
- Fall River
- Fitchburg
- Framingham
- Franklin (6 a.m. – 8 p.m.)
- Gardner
- Gloucester
- Greenfield
- Haverhill
- Holyoke
- Lawrence
- Leominster
- Lowell
- Lynn
- Malden
- Marlborough
- Medford
- Melrose
- Methuen (7 a.m. – 7 p.m.)
- New Bedford
- Newburyport
- Newton
- North Adams
- Northampton
- Peabody
- Pittsfield (8 a.m. – 8 p.m.)
- Quincy
- Randolph
- Revere
- Salem
- Saugus
- Somerville
- Springfield
- Taunton
- Waltham
- Watertown
- West Springfield
- Westfield (7 a.m. – 7 p.m.)
- Weymouth
- Winthrop
- Woburn
- Worcester
Massachusetts
Gas prices in Massachusetts dip below $4 a gallon for first time in 2 months
Gas prices dipped below $4 a gallon in Massachusetts Thursday for the first time in exactly two months.
According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Massachusetts is now $3.99, down from $4.02 on Wednesday.
That’s the first time the average fell below the $4 mark since April 25.
The national average on Thursday was $3.92 a gallon, AAA said. That average was above $4 for nearly three months before it fell to $3.99 a week ago on June 18.
Gas prices rose sharply after the war between the U.S. and Iran started on February 28.
A spokesperson for GasBuddy, which also tracks fuel price data, said the national average has been dropping for six weeks as the “recent U.S.-Iran framework agreement has helped ease supply fears.”
The company said the national average should keep falling to $3.75 by July 4.
“Six weeks of declines sounds like good news, and in some ways it is, but the context matters,” Patrick De Haan, a petroleum expert at GasBuddy, said in a statement Thursday.
“At roughly $3.75, this would be the second most expensive July 4 ever recorded, roughly 65 cents higher than last year and nearly $1 above where prices started in 2026. The U.S.-Iran agreement gives markets hope, but it’s being tested, and any breakdown in those talks could reverse the recent relief quickly. Drivers should use every tool available to find the lowest prices near them before filling up.”
A year ago at this time, the average price for a gallon of gas in Massachusetts was $3.10, according to AAA.
The all-time high in the state is $5.05 a gallon, set back in June 2022.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts man accused of wanting sex with girl busted in World Cup trafficking operation
A Massachusetts man who allegedly looked to have sex with a 15-year-old girl and bring drugs and alcohol to the meet-up has been arrested during a crackdown on human trafficking amid the World Cup.
Richard Lallier, 34, of Rehoboth, is one of 13 individuals who face exploitation and trafficking charges stemming from an operation that the FBI Boston has partnered on with the Massachusetts State Police and Rhode Island State Police during the global soccer tournament, dubbed “Operation Red Card.”
“Participating agencies emphasized that while major international sporting events bring significant economic and cultural benefits to host communities,” the Rhode Island State Police said in a statement on Tuesday, “they may also create opportunities for traffickers and those who exploit vulnerable populations.”
“Law enforcement agencies throughout the region remain committed to proactive enforcement efforts designed to deter human trafficking, identify victims, and hold offenders accountable,” the State Police added.
The Rhode Island State Police arrested six individuals, including Lallier, while the Massachusetts State Police apprehended seven suspects during a five-day operation between June 12 and 16.
The suspects arrested in Massachusetts range in age between 21 and 71, all of whom have been arraigned on state charges of sex for a fee with a child under 18, enticement of a child under 16, and attempted rape of a child.
In Rhode Island, Lallier, with a last known address in Rehoboth, is being held without bail on charges of attempted enticement, attempted interstate travel for sexual contact with a minor under 16 years old, and attempted transmission of obscene material to a minor.
Lindsay Laurie, a Rhode Island state trooper who went undercover to operate a Facebook profile that featured “age-regressed images” of herself, said in an affidavit that she informed Lallier via Messenger that he was speaking to a 15-year-old.
In response, Lallier, who went by the name of “Frank Land” on Facebook, allegedly said he was 34 years old before he asked for a “naughty video.”
Lallier also allegedly “sent multiple videos of his penis” to the undercover profile.
Two days later, last Wednesday, Lallier messaged the undercover profile again, explaining that he wanted to find “snow,” a “code word for cocaine,” Laurie stated. Lallier said he would “bring weed and fireball” to a meetup.
Last Friday, after Lallier confirmed to the undercover profile that he arrived in Rhode Island’s Lincoln Woods State Park, authorities arrested him, according to Laurie’s affidavit.
Major international events, such as the World Cup, lead to “large-scale travel” and “increased demand for lodging,” creating “opportunities for criminal exploitation,” according to Michael Soper, the program director of Boston Hotel Watch, an intelligence network connecting hotels and law enforcement.
Soper pointed to the “rapid expansion of short-term rental platforms” in creating a “significant and evolving challenge” to prevent human trafficking since the accommodations often have “less oversight, fewer standardized security protocols, and limited participation in established reporting networks.”
“As a result,” Soper said in a statement shared with the Herald, “illicit activity may occur outside the visibility of hospitality professionals and law enforcement partnerships, making the full scope of the problem difficult to measure.”
Massachusetts
Arlington Nonprofit Receives Statewide Grant Funding
“We are proud to support this remarkable group of nonprofit organizations and the essential work they do across Massachusetts,” Sincere Foundation Executive Director Rebecca Reiner said in a statement. “Their collective impact strengthens communities throughout the Commonwealth and we are honored to help advance their efforts.”
According to the foundation, grant recipients were selected across three focus areas: food security, housing stability, and safe spaces. Organizations receiving support in the food security category alongside Food Link include The Open Door in Gloucester, Worcester County Food Bank, Food For Free, and other nonprofits working to increase access to nutritious food.
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