"More like a midterm exam"

Also: What to expect this election night; Rachael Rollins under investigation [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  November 8, 2022 🗳️ Sunny, with a high near 52. Good Morning Boston, Today is the day! As much as mail-in and early voting has grown, the majority of Massachusetts voters are still expected to cast their ballots on good ol' Election Day today. Polls are open until 8 p.m., and we could be in for a night of mixed results — with national Republicans favored to retake at least one chamber of Congress, while Democrats are poised to claim [historic victories]( here in the Bay State. But that all depends on who shows up today. Here's what to expect: - Let's start with a few PSAs: Precinct lines were redrawn last year, so make sure to [double check your polling place](. And if you already filled out a mail-in ballot but haven't returned it yet, [here are your options](. - Beware: You can still [technically mail your ballot back today]( but [officials say]( you're taking the risk it won't arrive by the Saturday deadline if you do. - Haven't made up your mind? Catch up on [all our 2022 election coverage here]( including our [Massachusetts ballot question explainers]( and [the closing pitches from the state's two major gubernatorial candidates]( Maura Healey and Geoff Diehl. - Tune in: We'll be carrying NPR's live special coverage beginning at 8 p.m. tonight, with updates on the local races and results every 30 minutes. You can listen on 90.9 or [stream online here](. - "Not an awful lot of enthusiasm": Secretary of State Bill Galvin [predicted Monday]( that a total of 2.2 million people in Massachusetts will have voted when it's all said and done. (So far, over 1 million have voted early or by mail.) That would be the lowest-ever turnout rate in a general election [since the state started recording it in 1948]( — even with additional options like early and mail-in voting. - Why aren't people more amped up? Well, polls have shown the Democratic candidates for statewide office in Massachusetts with double-digit leads, resulting in the perception that those races are already over. Galvin said voters — overwhelmed by confusing ads — appear to be focused on [the four ballot questions]( making the election "more like a midterm exam than a midterm choice." - There are some local contests where party control is up in the air. WBUR's Deborah Becker [reports that Democrats are hoping to flip GOP-held district attorney offices]( on the South Shore and Cape and Islands. Those outcomes seem uncertain. - The national red wave — whether big or small — isn't expected to breach Massachusetts' blue walls; all nine of the state's House members are considered safe, [according to the Cook Political Report](. But that doesn't mean the all-Democrat delegation has nothing to lose. - If the GOP wins control of the House, Reps. Richard Neal and Jim McGovern will lose their powerful committee chairmanships. And as The Boston Globe [recently reported]( others could see their influence diminish, too. - For a sense of which way the tide is turning, follow [these national bellwether districts](. There's also [three close House races in New England]( and [a competitive Senate race in New Hampshire]( (as the constant TV ads have probably made you well aware). - Be patient: Barring any "major issues," Galvin's office expects local results to come in as quickly tonight as they did in 2020. But [in other states]( mail-in voting and ballot-counting rules could delay the final results "for days, if not weeks," [per NPR](. - Galvin says his office has also taken steps to ensure there's no problems at the polls, including checking to "make sure everyone knows how to crack a safe." (Looking at you, [Barnstable]( In non-election news: - Cambridge is officially moving to ban right turns at red lights across the city, after the City Council voted last night to approve the measure. [Supporters]( say the ban will make the city's roads safer for pedestrians and cyclists. - It also won't be a super drastic shift. [According to The Boston Globe]( roughly 70% of Cambridge’s intersections already ban "right on red." The Council also [reportedly]( wants to give the traffic department flexibility to keep allowing the turns at select intersections where big backups could occur. - We'll have to wait a little longer before any of us suddenly become billionaires. Last night's record $1.9 billion Powerball drawing was [delayed due to security procedures]( and officials say we likely won't know the results until this morning. But [as of 5:30 a.m.]( they had no estimate on when, exactly. - Locally, we've already had [a few big lower-tier winners within the past week]( including a $1 million ticket sold in Boxborough and a $650,000 ticket sold in Boston. P.S.— Did you miss this morning's [total lunar eclipse]( Here are [a few]( [photos]( of [what it looked]( like [here in Boston](. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Your election night guide, hour-by-hour]( It all comes down to this. After months of campaigning, ups and down, Election Day is here. Here's what to watch, as the night unfolds. [Read more.]( [Your election night guide, hour-by-hour]( It all comes down to this. After months of campaigning, ups and down, Election Day is here. Here's what to watch, as the night unfolds. [Read more.]( [Inflation is top issue in this week's midterms]( Rising prices are a top concern for voters in this year's midterm elections, outpacing abortion, crime and defending democracy. Prices in September were up 8.2% from a year ago. [Read more.]( [Inflation is top issue in this week's midterms]( Rising prices are a top concern for voters in this year's midterm elections, outpacing abortion, crime and defending democracy. Prices in September were up 8.2% from a year ago. [Read more.]( [Justice Dept. watchdog probing Rollins, AP reports]( The Justice Department has opened an investigation of U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins, prompted by her appearance at a political fundraiser featuring first lady Jill Biden. [Read more.]( [Justice Dept. watchdog probing Rollins, AP reports]( The Justice Department has opened an investigation of U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins, prompted by her appearance at a political fundraiser featuring first lady Jill Biden. [Read more.]( [It's going to be hard for Biden to meet this $11 billion climate change promise]( President Biden has pledged to quadruple the annual U.S. contribution to international climate aid to $11 billion. He has a long, tough road to get there. [Read more.]( [It's going to be hard for Biden to meet this $11 billion climate change promise]( President Biden has pledged to quadruple the annual U.S. contribution to international climate aid to $11 billion. He has a long, tough road to get there. [Read more.]( [Boston Public Schools probes discrimination allegations against school leaders of color]( The move was prompted by an Aug. 24 letter to then-incoming superintendent Mary Skipper alleging that administrators of color were being disproportionately subjected to "investigatory meetings" and placed on administrative leave after speaking out about problematic policies. [Read more.]( [Boston Public Schools probes discrimination allegations against school leaders of color]( The move was prompted by an Aug. 24 letter to then-incoming superintendent Mary Skipper alleging that administrators of color were being disproportionately subjected to "investigatory meetings" and placed on administrative leave after speaking out about problematic policies. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - The MBTA isn't officially on the ballot today, but its future could be dramatically affected by tonight's results. [Listen to the second episode of our new daily podcast The Common]( to find out how. - Looking for more information on who is on the ballot this year, whether in Massachusetts or elsewhere? Check out NPR's [list of voter guides for every single state]( — plus the [six gubernatorial races across the country that could make history tonight](. - Theater critic Jacquinn Sinclair [reviews two new Boston plays]( that use technological platforms to connect the audience with the performer and push show-goers "from passive voyeur to participant." - After watching the U.S. Senate race between Mehmet Oz and John Fetterman, local writer Aimee Seiff Christian thought of her daughter and the prevalence of ableism she sees in everyday life. [In this commentary for Cognoscenti]( she writes that disabled people aren't asking for accommodations — but rather inclusion.  What We're Reading 📚 - This School Took Away Smartphones. The Kids Don’t Mind. ([The Wall Street Journal]( - ‘We’re getting cheated out of something’: Three Boston neighborhoods are about to lose a pharmacy ([The Boston Globe]( - In Arizona, Kari Lake Worked in Local TV News. Now, She Calls Reporters ‘Monsters.’ ([The New York Times](  Tell Me Something Good [The Frates family always knew the Ice Bucket Challenge would result in hope and treatments for ALS patients. It has. (Boston.com)]( Pete Frates knew the trajectory for ALS research needed to change. A new treatment is tied to his advocacy. [Read more.]( [The Frates family always knew the Ice Bucket Challenge would result in hope and treatments for ALS patients. It has. (Boston.com)]( Pete Frates knew the trajectory for ALS research needed to change. A new treatment is tied to his advocacy. [Read more.]( Before you go: ["They should probably leave it like this."]( 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? 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