Coalition of Democrats, Republicans pushes ahead with ballot initiative to ‘reboot’ primary competition

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The running theme of a number of initiatives primed for the 2026 ballot is that of a fist shaken in Beacon Hill’s direction. Depending on the measure, a finger may extend from the fist.

Count a proposed law eliminating political party primaries as the latter gesture. A group of Massachusetts election reformers is looking to instead create a single all-party primary with everyone in the same pool, regardless of party affiliation.

The current primary process, the reformers contend, is dominated by insiders, leading to Massachusetts earning a reputation for one of the least competitive states in the nation.

Under their proposal, the two candidates with the most votes would move onto the general election, not unlike mayoral elections in Boston. The proposal is one of several initiative petitions that keep clearing hurdles, but still face a long and winding road to get before voters in November. Rent control is on that list, as is placing the state Legislature and the governor’s office under the state records law.

But the all-party primary is among the proposed ballot questions that have flown somewhat under the radar. That’s despite the motley crew behind it, which calls itself the Coalition for Healthy Democracy. (Not to be confused with the Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts, which has pushed a ballot initiative outlawing recreational marijuana use.)

Danielle Allen, a Harvard professor who dropped out of the 2022 Democratic primary for governor, is one of them. On her way out, after she acknowledged the delegate math in the caucuses wasn’t adding up, she vowed to “blow up ballot access,” as POLITICO put it. Nearly four years later, she’s attempting to follow through on her vow.

"This is a way of rebooting competition in this state,” Allen said on the State House steps Monday before supporters delivered the signatures, collected by paid gatherers, to state officials. 

“An all party primary incentivizes elected officials to be responsible to the whole electorate,” she added.

Tanisha Sullivan, president of the NAACP New England Area Conference, who lost a 2022 Democratic primary bid to longtime Secretary of State Bill Galvin, also endorsed the measure, as did Jennifer Nassour, a longtime GOP donor, former party chair and fundraiser.

Nassour backed Nikki Haley, the former US ambassador, over Donald Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primary, saying both he and Joe Biden have nothing but the “rearview mirror” to look at.

She said if all-party primaries were available at the national level, Haley would have had a “better shot” against Trump. Nassour said if a “beta test” succeeds here, there will be a stronger case to take it to the national level.

“I just think that both sides are very, very hesitant to believe that this works,” Nassour said. “And I personally think that this would benefit the Republican Party. I think that a lot of our super strong candidates would come out of an all party primary in the top two and then move on to a general election and be able to be victorious.”

Would you vote for the all-party primary measure? Let me know what you think of the proposal: [email protected].

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8:00 | Boston Biotech Summit takes place featuring panel discussions among industry leaders on topics like capital flows, policy shifts and Boston’s ecosystem outlook. | Boynton Gateway 495 Columbia St., Somerville | Tickets and More Info

9:00 | New England Power Generators Association hosts the New England Energy Summit in partnership with The Dupont Group. Alex Fitzsimmons, acting undersecretary of energy for the U.S. Department of Energy, will be the keynote speaker. The event will feature discussions among industry leaders, end users and policy makers on the financial market and policy impacts on energy, AI and data centers. | The Colonnade Hotel 120 Huntington Ave., Boston |Tickets

11:00 | Supporters of the proposed ballot initiative that would limit annual rent increases to no more than 5% gather before turning in signatures to the Secretary of State to qualify the measure for the 2026 ballot. | Church on the Hill, 140 Bowdoin St, Boston

12:00 | Auditor Diana DiZoglio speaks to the Woburn Rotary Club. | Woburn Public Library, 45 Pleasant St, Woburn

4:00 | Meet Boston hosts its annual meeting. Discussion topics include details about the recent Michelin Guide selections in the area, the new Greater Boston Sports Commission, Frostival and a “Supplier Diversity” effort with Conan Harris & Associates set to launch in early 2026. The event will also offer updates on 2026 events like the FIFA World Cup, the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution and the return of Tall Ships. Mayor Michelle Wu and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll are expected to give remarks. The event is not open to the public. | InterContinental Boston 510 Atlantic Ave., Boston

Latoya Gayle, an early education and childcare advocate who lives in Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, is considering a run against Sen. Nick Collins.

“I am exploring it very seriously,” she told MASSterList. “It’s something I've been thinking about for a while.”

Gayle, a 46-year-old mother of four, brought up Collins’ role in the death of Mayor Michelle Wu’s property tax shift proposal in 2024. Collins questioned the numbers behind the proposal, which would have temporarily shifted more of the property tax burden onto commercial properties to avoid a jump in residential tax bills. Wu pointed to the Senate shifting the goalposts on what it would take for a vote in the chamber.

“Over the last year, people have been asking me when I’m going to run. Some of that has been in response to the way he responded to Mayor Wu’s proposal to raise commercial taxes in the city,” Gayle said. “People weren't happy with that.”

MASSterList reported last month that Wu had privately expressed interest in helping candidates who would run against Collins and William Brownsberger, another state senator who opposed her property tax proposal. “I will say this, I'm not running because the mayor asked me to run,” Gayle said.

She cited the high cost of housing in the city. Her oldest just graduated from college, she said, and young people are wondering whether they can afford to keep living in Boston.

Gayle, who previously considered a run for District 3 City Council in 2023, opened up a Senate campaign committee on Monday. She said she expects to make a decision on her run in the coming weeks. 

Dorchester resident Malik Shaw has also filed paperwork for a Senate campaign committee.

EDUCATION STANDARDS: State officials, including Gov. Maura Healey, sketched out educational standards for high school graduation. The “framework” calls for mandatory courses, senior projects and an “end-of-course” assessment, which drew a rebuke from the Massachusetts Teachers Association. The union was the main backer of a ballot question that removed the MCAS test from graduation requirements. – Boston Globe

LUCK RUNS OUT: The state Lottery plans to stop offering “Lucky for Life,” and start selling higher-priced tickets for a “Millionaire for Life” game instead. – State House News Service

RENTS COOLING: Asking rents in Boston are down, despite supply constraints. It’s happening for the first time since 2021 due to economic uncertainty and a drop in international student enrollment. – Bloomberg

MOULTON ON ICE: Rep. Seth Moulton called conditions inside ICE’s Burlington facility “inhumane” after an oversight visit. The congressman, who is running for Senate, said not much has changed since his last visit in June, when he highlighted lack of access to adequate food for detainees. – Newburyport News

TAKE TWO IN SPRINGFIELD: Johnnie McKnight, a teacher who came in 245 votes behind Springfield Rep. Bud Williams in 2024, is making another attempt to unseat the longtime incumbent. – Western Mass. Politics and Insight

BOSTON SIGNS ON: The city of Boston has signed onto a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration’s restrictions that deep-sixed $29 million that would help homeless people. – Boston Globe

SELF-DEPORT ORDER: A family that came over from Ecuador, regular attendees of immigration authority check-ins and without criminal records, were told at a routine check-in last month that they needed to self-deport. – GBH News

250TH CELEBRATIONS: Arlington is one of the municipalities celebrating a 250th birthday, applying for government grants that can boost its tourism and promote lesser known Revolutionary War battles. – Your Arlington

Rep. Trahan pitches standardization for paying college athletes

Malden-based housing nonprofit receives $5 million from Bezos

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