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Nov 20, 2024 | 
commonwealthbeacon.org | Steve Koczela |Richard Parr
BY NOW YOU may have seen the New York Times map of the United States covered with tiny, red arrows pointing to the right, like weathervanes. The map shows the shift in the vote in this year’s presidential election compared to 2020.The sea of red arrows pointing right mark counties where Donald Trump’s share of the vote increased since 2020. The smattering of blue arrows, showing where Vice President Kamala Harris made gains over Joe Biden’s vote four years ago, barely register.
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Oct 25, 2024 | 
bostonglobe.com | Steve Koczela
With a week left until Election Day, the polls show that either candidate could still win. As of this writing, Kamala Harris has a narrow 1- to 2-percentage point edge in national poll averages — too close to call with confidence. In presidential and statewide races where the polls are within 3 percentage points in the last weeks of the contest, polls have picked the right winner just 55 percent of the time since 1998. That’s little better than flipping a coin.
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Jul 18, 2024 | 
commonwealthbeacon.org | Steve Koczela
THE LAST FEW weeks have featured a dizzying array of analysis from people using polls to show President Biden is either within striking distance, out of striking distance, still in the race, definitely out of the race, competitive in swing states, not competitive in swing states, about as good as alternative candidates, much worse than alternatives, and everything in between.
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May 20, 2024 | 
gazette.com | Annabella Rosciglione |Steve Koczela
Of all 50 states, one surprisingly far surpasses the others in the percentage of registered independent voters: Massachusetts. In Massachusetts, a typically Democratic-leaning state, 62% of all registered voters are independents as of November 2023, outnumbering both major political parties. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 3-1 ratio; nearly 30% of voters are registered Democrats and just 9% are Republicans.
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Apr 10, 2024 | 
commonwealthbeacon.org | Steve Koczela
NOT SURPRISINGLY, Joe Biden has a big lead over Donald Trump among voters in heavily Democratic-leaning Massachusetts, but results of a new statewide poll also show some intriguing other trends that mirror national surveys and could shape the outcome of the 2024 presidential contest. Among registered voters in the state, President Biden has an 18-point lead in his rematch against former President Donald Trump, according to a new CommonWealth Beacon/GBH News poll (toplines, crosstabs).
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Mar 20, 2024 | 
rhodeislandcurrent.com | Steve Koczela
21:09 News Story Politics + Justice Only 27% of voters in this reliably blue state are now registered Democrats. Only 8% are registered Republicans. Voter registration under party labels has been on the decline for years, but new figures show political parties in Massachusetts withering at a much greater rate than previously known, with nearly two-thirds of all voters now registered without a party designation.
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Mar 20, 2024 | 
commonwealthbeacon.org | Steve Koczela
VOTER REGISRATION UNDER party labels has been on the decline for years, but new figures show political parties in Massachusetts withering at a much greater rate than previously known, with nearly two-thirds of all voters now registered without a party designation. On a practical level, there is little benefit to registering under a party banner in Massachusetts, given the state’s semi-open primary system, where unaffiliated voters can participate in either party’s nominating contests.
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Nov 3, 2023 | 
rhodeislandcurrent.com | Steve Koczela
by Steve Koczela, Rhode Island Current November 3, 2023 In 2020, Massachusetts handed Joe Biden a 35-point victory over then-President Donald Trump, the second largest margin for the Democrat of any state. So it’s all the more remarkable that a new CommonWealth Beacon poll (topline, crosstabs) finds now-President Biden looking shaky in the Bay State, where just 47 percent of residents say they approve of the job he is doing in the White House.
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Nov 1, 2023 | 
commonwealthbeacon.org | Steve Koczela |Amanda Middle
IN 2020, Massachusetts handed Joe Biden a 35-point victory over then-President Donald Trump, the second largest margin for the Democrat of any state. So it’s all the more remarkable that a new CommonWealth Beacon poll (topline, crosstabs) finds now-President Biden looking shaky in the Bay State, where just 47 percent of residents say they approve of the job he is doing in the White House. Nearly the same number (46 percent) say they disapprove.
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Feb 9, 2023 | 
newsbreak.com | Steve Koczela
Healey not rushing things at the MBTAGOV. MAURA HEALEY is slowly – some would say too slowly – putting the pieces in place to take control of the MBTA. Back in August, when it was widely expected she would replace Charlie Baker as governor, Healey said she intended to hire a new MBTA general manager and a statewide transportation chief. She also said she wanted two deputy general managers hired, presumably by her new GM.
