By Danielle Elefritz
BU News Service

Although defeat came early for a ballot initiative to expand Massachusetts’ bottle deposit law, leaders of the Yes on 2 MA coalition urged supporters to keep up the fight.

“This is not a sprint, this is a marathon,” Janet Domenitz, executive director of MASSPIRG, told the 50 or so volunteers and supporters who gathered at the Globe Bar and Cafe in Boston’s Copley Square.

After paraphrasing former Gov. Michael Dukakis, Domenitz added: “We have a lot of work ahead.”

Question 2 would have expanded the state’s 1982 beverage container deposit law, adding deposits on most non-alcoholic, non-carbonated drinks – such as tea, juices, sports drinks and water. Deposits are already required on beer and soft drink containers. The referendum would have also increased handling fees for bottlers and distributors.

If passed into law, deposit fees would have been reviewed every five years to adjust for changes in the consumer price index and costs for redemption centers.  The proposed law also would have created a Clean Environment Fund for unclaimed container deposits to be used for programs such as solid waste management, water resource protection, parkland urban forestry, and air quality and climate protection.

News outlets called the vote against Question 2 just after 9:30 p.m. with only 26 percent of precincts reporting. At that time, more than 70 percent opposed the measure to expand the 32-year-old Bottle Bill. The margins remained the same as more votes were counted.

Domenitz said in an interview that the coalition is committed to finding a way to get all containers recycled.

“Obviously we are disappointed, but we are totally gratified,” said Domenitz, whose group belongs to a coalition of environmentalists and civic organizations.  “There were thousands of volunteers from one end of the state to the other who worked very hard and we’re going to take that energy and move it towards more recycling in Massachusetts.”

One of those volunteers, Emmanuel College senior Lauren Mullett, said she was disappointed but optimistic.  “If something goes the wrong way, that just means better things are around the corner,” said the 21-year-old MASSPIRG intern.  “Hopefully we can just push through and try this again.”

The Yes on 2 Coalition argued that expansion of the existing Bottle Bill would decrease litter, increase recycling rates, and save cities and towns up to $7 million each year in litter and trash disposal costs.

No on Question 2: Stop Forced Deposits, a coalition of 3,500 businesses, recyclers and grocers,  maintained that curbside recycling, available in most Massachusetts municipalities, would be more comprehensive, convenient, and cost-effective.

Opponents argued that the existing Bottle Bill predated today’s available curbside recycling programs. The No on Question 2 coalition said such programs are about 10 times cheaper per ton to operate and more convenient for people than a deposit system.

“By building on a 1982 system, it’s like inventing typewriters in 2014,” coalition spokeswoman Nicole Giambusso said earlier in the day. “It just doesn’t make sense for today.”

In a press release Giambusso said the coalition is “very pleased” by the ballot question’s failure.  “With this vote,  commonwealth residents sent a message that it’s time to move forward and expand convenient, comprehensive recycling programs, so that Massachusetts can become the recycling leader that it should be,” she said.

Back at the election night gathering,  state Reps. David Rogers, D-Cambridge, and Jay Livingstone, D-Boston, blamed the bill’s rejection on the opposition’s well-financed advertising campaign.

“Advertisements paid by just a few companies really made a tremendous difference even though [they were] particularly misleading,” Livingstone said in an interview. “Unfortunately the grassroots network on the other side didn’t have the funding to defeat that advertising.”

Rogers said he was surprised by the bill’s loss.

“The public, I thought, favored it 2-1 the other direction and then $8 million or $10 million of ads were thrown, some of which were misleading, and it literally flipped 2-1 for and then 2-1 against,” he said.

Domenitz also acknowledged the role of big money.“I think most observers would say that once there’s that kind of resources put in, it’s tough to combat that,” she said in an interview.

Some of the bill’s supporters were more philosophical. Phil Sego, 61, of the Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter said he has been working to expand the Bottle Bill for 10 years.

“Whether you win or lose a campaign, what the campaign proves is that there are tens of hundreds of thousands of people that agree with you,” said Sego, who has been involved in politics since 1968.

“[We] have done good things in getting the message out to people, getting the chance to involve people, getting people motivated to vote. That’s really what this is all about,” said Sego.

By Margaret Waterman and Keri McAlpine
BU News Service

SALEM _  “Seth, Seth, Seth,” supporters cheered Tuesday night as a beaming Seth Moulton took the stage to celebrate his victory over Richard Tisei for a congressional seat. Both candidates had been relative unknowns in the 6th congressional district race.

Moulton, a 36-year-old who served four tours with the Marines in Iraq, won handily over the 52-year-old Tisei, a former state representative, in the end. With 73 percent of the precincts reporting, he led Tisei 55.5 percent to 39.8 percent, according to The Associated Press.

“It’s exciting, it’s energizing, but it’s also humbling,” said Moulton, who had never run for office before and believed he would provide a fresh take because so few veterans currently serve on Capitol Hill.

Moulton, who spent much of the night watching results at his home in Salem, gave his victory speech at the Salem Waterfront Hotel before roughly 200 people at 10 p.m., about a half hour after Tisei had called him to concede. Moulton thanked his supporters and vowed to fight to fix the economy as well as improve education in Massachusetts. Above all, Moulton said he would fight for U.S. war veterans.

 “There is perhaps no place that we have more work to do than in veteran’s care,” Moulton said. “”Our veterans should receive the best care that our country has to offer… We can do better, we must do better and I won’t stop fighting until veterans across America get the care they need.”

In September, Moulton beat nine-term incumbent U.S. Representative John F. Tierney in the Democratic primary, and Tisei, who had come close to defeating Tierney three years ago, had thought he had a chance this time.

Tisei’s supporters, who gathered at the Kowloon restaurant in Saugus, were silent once results were known but erupted into cheers when Tisei and husband Bernie Starr walked through the crowd. Tisei spoke with a smile on his face and explained how, despite the undesirable ending of the race, it was worth it, along with all of the other work he has done in politics.

“I feel like the work I did in the Senate improved people’s lives at state level, but also at a personal level,” Tisei said. “In the time I’ve spent in public service I’ve helped a lot of people and helped them move forward. I want to say we do face a lot of problems as a country, and it’s important for Democrats and Republicans to come together.”

Originally from Somerville, Tisei was a state lawmaker for 26 years and was the youngest Republican representative in the state’s history. In 2010, Tisei led opposition to the sales tax increase and offered more than $1 billion in cost-saving reform measures. Now a Wakefield resident, he also helped with the passing of Massachusetts Welfare Reform, which became a model for the nation.

The whole Tisei family was at Kowloon as the announcement of the results grew near.  The large Italian family included cousins and extended family.

 “The state of Massachusetts lost an advocate for our people,” said Warren Razzaboni, Tisei’s cousin, after the results were announced. “He would have done a great job in Congress.”

Moulton’s supporters, most of whom wore blue and white Moulton for Congress buttons, thought his advocacy for veterans helped add to the candidate’s appeal.

Bill Picard, a veteran who was wearing a hat covered in ribbons, a flag pin and an “I Voted” sticker, said he cast a ballot for Moulton and volunteered for his campaign because of his unwavering commitment to helping veterans.

“He’s got all the reason in the world to support veterans because he is one,” Picard, of Beverly, said. “He understands what’s happening to veterans.”

Picard, who served in the Air Force from 1968 to 1975, said Moulton was a straight shooter.

 “He doesn’t owe anybody anything, and I really believe that he’ll go in with no excuses,” he said.

Kathlene Gibbs, Kalie Greenberg, and Alexandra Volpicelli also reported from Moulton and Tisei headquarters.

By Peter Zampa and Nicholas Picht

BU News Service

Election Day Scenes at Brookline’s Coolidge Corner

By Gabrielle Miller
BU News Service

College Student Traverses Brookline to Support Candidate

Starting at 5 a.m. Election Day, Malcolm Kelly began crisscrossing Brookline to campaign at every polling place he could for Curt Meyers, a candidate for state representative.

Kelly, originally from Quincy, had driven to Brookline from Schenectady, N.Y., where he’s a senior at Union College. He has been running Meyers’ campaign since the summer. Meyers, a Republican, ran against incumbent Democrat Frank Smizik, who had not faced a challenger for more than a decade. Kelly became involved because he and Meyers were close friends.

 “It’s a very small race that not many people know about,” said Kelly, who was handing out flyers and standing near Curt Meyers for Brookline signs at one of his stops, the Coolidge Corner Public Library. The race is for the 15th Norfolk District in Brookline.

 His goal was to reach all 16 precincts before voting ended Tuesday.

“I’m just trying to get people last minute, put his name in their heads,” said Kelly.

  When asked if he planned to vote, Kelly said he would if he had time.

“If I make it back to Quincy yeah, but I am actually have to go back to school tonight,” he said.

But he cannot vote for Meyers, given he is not from Brookline.

Clinician Hopes Support for Public Programs Continue

Sandra Maislen is concerned about the condition of Massachusetts.

“There’s a lot of people in the state that go to bed hungry, there’s a lot of people in the state that are homeless, there’s a lot of people in the state still without jobs,” said Maislen, who picked Democrat Martha Coakley over Republican Charlie Baker in the gubernatorial race.

Maislen, a Democrat, supports public programs and wants to protect programs that help those in need. She is no stranger to health care and public policy as the division director for developmental medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital.

“I’ve been in Massachusetts under Republican administrations where I felt like programs were cut for poorer people…we have to support everyone. For those of us who are fortunate, we have to help the less fortunate,” she said.

She was concerned that Baker would cut public programs. “I worry if we have a Republican hard line that programs for people that are having trouble making it won’t exist any longer,” she said.

Maislen planned on staying up late Tuesday to hear the results as part of her Election Day ritual.

“I don’t think it’s a sure thing,” she said.

Former and Future BU Terriers at the Polls

A Brookline father tried a different form of entertainment for his 4-year-old son Tuesday morning. Instead of playtime at the playground, he took his son on an excursion to the polls. After Albert L’Etoile voted, his son Charlie ran around the flagpole outside of the Coolidge Corner Public Library

“We’re going to wear our ‘I Voted’ stickers,” said Charlie’s father, Albert, when asked about their Election Day rituals.

Even though Charlie is too young for school, he’s already a Boston University Terrier at heart. His parents are BU alumni and met in college.

“We go to BU and see our friend Rhett. Have you ever seen Rhett?” asked Charlie.

His father voted for Charlie Baker.

“I liked a lot of the points he made. I thought they were stronger, and more aligned with my thoughts,” said L’Etoile.

Election Day Scenes from Allston

By Jun Tsuboike
BU News Service

 Couple Votes for First Time as US Citizens

Abdul Kader and Farhana Safi voted for the first time as United States citizens on Tuesday and noticed a big difference from their native Bangladesh. They did not have to sign their names on the ballot.

 “They don’t know who’s voting for who,” said Kader. “That’s a good thing.”

 In Bangladesh, until reforms in 2008, the government required voters to write their names on their ballot. Both Kader and Safi, who live in Allston, became American citizens in July.

Their first time as voters, they just checked off the Democratic candidates’ names.

 “We believe that a lot of them are for the middle class,” said Kader

 “Same as him,” said Safi.

 Kader and Safi watched the televised gubernatorial debates. Although they thought Republican candidate Charlie Baker was “nice,” Democrat Martha Coakley won their support.

 “Nobody’s perfect, but her thinking is better,” said Kader. “Martha Coakley can do better for both the city and the state.”

“Same as him,” said Safi.

 Custodian Stumps for Coakley

 Chris Daly is not a die-hard Martha Coakley fan, but that didn’t stop him from holding up a Coakley-Kerrigan sign at the Jackson Mann School on Tuesday.

 “Charlie Baker scares me,” said Daly. “He will wipe out the middle class.”

 Daly, a custodian, said he feared Baker would mimic the moves of former Republican Gov. Mitt Romney. Daly said Romney made cuts to social services during his tenure.

 Coakley  isn’t his favorite person, but he’s “on her side for now,” Daly said.

He predicted Coakley would win Boston, but he wasn’t sure about the rest of the state.

By Yasmine Robinson

BU News Service

BU News Service Reporter Yasmine Robinson gives her opinion on the 2014 MA State Ballot.

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By Brook Jackson-Glidden
BU News Service

AUDIO: Massachusetts is saying its goodbyes to Governor Dval Patrick after seven years in office. The race begins to find his successor. The candidates are flowing in. BUNS reporter Brooke Jackson-Glidden spoke with BU State House Reporter Dan Petersen, for a guide to the first stages of the upcoming election.

Marty Walsh wins Boston mayoral election. BU News Service’s Jamie Bologna was at the mayor-elect’s election night party.

By Brittany Comak and Paula Sokolska
BU News Service

State Representative Martin J. Walsh emerged victorious in Tuesday’s Boston mayoral election, defeating City Councilor John R. Connolly and claiming 51.55 percent of votes, according to unofficial results from the Boston Election Department.

“Together we’re going to make Boston even stronger,” said Walsh in his victory speech.

Walsh will replace Boston’s current mayor, Thomas Menino, who is leaving office with an 82 percent approval rating, according to a Suffolk University/Boston Herald survey conducted last July. Menino boasts a 20-year legacy in which his administration experienced no scandals, ushered in a series of progressive measures like Greenovate Boston and Boston Bikes, and most recently coordinated the massive response effort to the Boston Marathon Bombings. Menino is the city’s longest serving mayor, having held office since 1993.

Bostonians were ready for the change, as 51 percent of registered Boston voters expressed the desire for a mayor with a “different style,” the same study cited. Menino’s decision to not seek re-election ignited a crowded preliminary race of 12 possible contenders. Walsh led the preliminary election with Connolly at a close second, and the two advanced.

Voter turnout for Tuesday’s election reached 40.19 percent, the Election Department unofficially reported.

Outside of the James F. Condon Elementary School in South Boston, a polling station for ward 6, precincts 1, 2, and 3, a steady stream of voters filed through a courtyard littered with discarded pamphlets and candidate stickers to cast their ballots at the end of the work day.

A black pickup truck cruised down West Broadway promoting Walsh for Mayor over a stereo system in its trunk. Canvassers for both candidates could hear its muffled advertisements, as they stood in the cool night air appealing to residents in a last effort to sway votes.

“It was a hard decision,” said Anna McGrath, a teacher who voted for Connolly. McGrath expressed frustrations over the lack of diversity in the candidates’ platforms. When asked how she made her decision McGrath said, “I think it comes down to the feeling that you have.”

Faced with a choice between nearly identical platforms, McGrath and other voters turned to gut feelings and intuition in their decision making. “Unable to distinguish themselves on the issues, City Councilor John Connolly and state Rep. Marty Walsh turned to biography,” noted a recent WBUR article after the candidates’ final debate. However, even on this personal front, voters found little difference between the candidates.

“They’re both white guys with Irish last names,” said Mike Phippen, 34, a recent law school graduate who voted for Walsh.

The lack of diversity that frustrated Phippen was evident in the candidate’s stances on major city issues. Their only explicit contention was in regards to the mayor’s term length. Connolly expressed support of a restriction, Walsh did not, according to a Boston.com infographic comparing their platforms.

“I thought it was very difficult to distinguish between the two, and that I found disappointing,” said Phippen.

But the mood at the Walsh headquarters at the Park Plaza was jubilant as the newly elected mayor assured voters of his commitment to move the city forward.

“Stand with me, because I’m ready to stand and work with you,” he said. “If we set our sights high, then Boston, I promise you, the best is yet to come.”