By Bella Ramirez, Emilia Wisniewski, Matthew Eadie, Macie Parker
Democratic state Sen. Diana DiZoglio declared victory in the race for state auditor against Republican Anthony Amore at the Democratic watch party on election night.
“Together, we will help ensure that working families just like ours can access to and accountability from our state government, regardless of our family background, our bank balance or our zip code,” DiZoglio said at the MassDems Watch Party.
The auditor-elect cited her work in public service as a state senator as a motivator going forward in her new role.
Gene Parini, a Diehl supporter, said he supported Anthony Amore for state auditor because he wanted a Republican to hold the state auditor office.
“You got a Democrat congress, a Democrat secretary of state, all Democrats leading all these agencies, and they’re audited by a Democrat, and you never hear the result of the audit,” he said.
All nine Massachusetts districts were called for the Democratic candidates. Notably, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley won 84.5% of the vote, for district seven which includes Boston.
“We are going to change the narrative of people’s lives. We take our rightful place as we show the nation what is possible and advance policies that uplift the collective,” Pressley said at the Democrat Election Night Party.
As for ballot questions, Question 1, which involves an increased taxation for those over $1 million income, is projected to pass at 51.8% according to 82% reporting to the Associated Press as of 4:30 a.m.
At the election night party held jointly by supporters of Question 1 and Question 4 at Colonnade Hotel, approximately 200 people gathered. The gathering garnered an appearance from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
“Having an additional $1 billion and a half to $2 billion for public transit and for education is going to be critical and that’s why a fair share is important,” Jake Taber, community organizer for Mass. Senior Action Council said at the Democrat election night party in Fairmont Copley.
Ines Garrant, a Boston resident, registered Democrat and Boston University staff member, said she was against Question 1.
“There’s already a surplus in the state, and I don’t think it’s balanced,” she said. “I don’t think it’s true that it only taxes the wealthy because it does tax small businesses and others.”
Massachusetts state Sen. Adam Gomez said he supports Question 1 and Question 4. Gomez added that he felt so drawn to Question 1 that he seeked signatures in support of the “millionaire’s tax.”
Matt Knight, a Boston military member and Republican who voted at Kilachand Hall, said he voted against ballot Question one because “people that have accumulated that wealth, for the most part, they’ve worked hard for and they shouldn’t be penalized for it.”
Question 2, which would regulate dental insurance, passed according to the Associated Press.
Ted Falk, who just moved from Oregon, also supports Question 2.
“It’s high time that dental insurance got the sort of regulatory attention that we’ve previously given to medical insurance,” Falk said.
Question 3, which looks to increase alcohol licenses, is not projected to pass, with 55% voting ‘no’ according to 80% reporting to the Associated Press as of 3:40 a.m.
Robert Mellion, executive director of the Massachusetts Package Association, the organization that filed Question 3, said voting yes on the question will offer “convenience, but does so safely.”
“The purpose of Question 3 was to address the consumer’s desire for increased convenience, but to do it safely in a way that protected locally owned businesses and the communities that they serve,” Mellion said.
Question 4, which involves allowing undocumented people to get their drivers license, is projected to pass by 53.4% with 82% reporting to the Associated Press as of 4:30 a.m.
Lenita Reason, executive director at the Brazilian Worker Center, discussed the importance of mobility in drawing her support.
“It’s about human rights,” Reason said. “We not only think about the immigrant family, we think about everyone. When you drive, you want to make sure that someone that drives alongside of you has to take the test just like you do.”
Kevin Lam, organizing director of Asian American Resource Workshop, said that a third of the undocumented population in Massachusetts identifies as Asian.
“Especially during the pandemic, we’re seeing a lot of disparities in access to resources especially within the Asian community,” Lam said at the Question 1 and Question 4 supporters event. “They’re expressing a lot of need around the need for driver’s licenses, and a lot of challenges and hardships to getting access to them.”
At the MassDems Watch Party, Pressley concluded her election night thoughts reflecting on the past.
“We are making history, we are making change and most of all, we are rejecting the politics of fear and hatred,” Pressley said.
Casey Choung, Vikrant Sabharwal, Braedon Blumfield, Xiaoya Shao and Sydney Spottiswood contributed to the reporting of this article.
This is an account occasionally used by the Daily Free Press editors for posts with multiple authors or otherwise for special circumstance publications. See authorship info on the byline at the top of the page.
