All-party primaries would fix Massachusetts’ unproductive Legislature - The Boston Globe The state suffers from too little competition.

Where do I sign up??

@dsallentess.bsky.social

Democracy Philanthropy Let's shift some of our investment to the long-term work of Democracy Renovation

Good recommendation by @dsallentess.bsky.social to invest in repairing democratic systems and institutions alongside campaign donations: open.substack.com/pub/therenov...

‘Democracy is on the ballot’: Bids to open same-day registration, end party primaries could reshape Mass. elections - The Boston Globe A pair of initiatives barreling toward the 2026 ballot could give voters a direct say in upending tenets of the state’s electoral system.

"The ballot question is quickly drawing fire from leaders of both major parties."

🤔

Wonder why that might be? The All-Party Primary doesn’t favor Democrats, Republicans, or any other party—it favors **voters and accountability**
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/12/15/m...

New York Just Ran the Election the Rest of America Needs Real Choice, Real Turnout, Real Legitimacy: Lessons from New York’s De Facto All-Party Primary

There are so many exciting lessons in last week’s mayoral election in New York. Here are a few more: therenovator.substack.com/p/new-york-j...

I note that Boston is not trying to move away from the all party primary but is rather trying to enhance it by keeping it and adding RCV. I agree that such enhancement is even better. The only way to get there is to start with the all party primary.

Decayed low turnout party primaries are one of their best vehicles for takeover. The all party primary gives power back to the people and is actually a counterweight to tech oligarchs power.

The Authoritarian Stack How Tech Billionaires Are Building a Post-Democratic America — And Why Europe Is Next

And in terms of what the tech oligarchs are doing, here’s the real story:

www.authoritarian-stack.info

I note that Boston is not trying to move away from the all party primary but is rather trying to enhance it by keeping it and adding RCV. I agree that such enhancement is even better. The only way to get there is to start with the all party primary.

I am profoundly grateful to my friends on the progressive left for their dedicated advocacy for policies that will make a difference for working people like rent stabilization, good jobs, and criminal justice reform. I have to respectfully disagree, though, with their analysis of the likely effects of ending separate party primaries for state and federal office in Massachusetts and using a single all-party primary instead, with the top two finishers going on to the general election. Massachusetts is not California. Our campaign finance rules are completely different and far more limiting and our population is much smaller. This fundamentally changes how money operates in our political system. Our politics will remain anchored in the grass-roots. I have to concede that campaigning to the whole electorate instead of to party insiders is a bigger job and harder work, but I'm going to plant my flag for all those who want to put democracy first. Democracy takes work. It takes the work of answering to the whole electorate. Answering to the whole electorate is what will give us an open, fair, and accountable political system. I have confidence that the goals my progressive friends are pursuing, like rent stabilization, good jobs, and criminal justice reform, are broadly appealing to the people of Massachusetts and across the vast number of districts in Massachusetts and that their candidates will continue to do well under an all-party primary system. I am also confident that their agenda will get a fuller public airing under an all-party primary system. So with a lot of love and respect, I have to dissent. I am planting my flag for the Democracy First movement and invite anyone who wants to join me in doing that to sign up at coalitionforhealthydemocracy.org. Love, Danielle

With all due respect, I’ve got to say that an all-party primary will make the votes of communities of color matter and broaden and diversify the electorate that decides our elections. That’s why I’m working on it. And our grassroots politics beats money. See Boston mayors race.

With all do respect, I’ve gotta say MA is not NY. With our strict campaign finance limits and small populations, which keep politics grassroots and personal, it’s candidates who can build broad coalitions who win in all-party primaries, not those with deep pockets. See Boston mayor’s race.

Thank you. I just finished reviewing the copy edits so we’re getting close!

Delighted to be part of this key project to empower user agency, open source and prosocial ranking into social feeds. Thank you to @noupside.bsky.social and @jonathanstray.bsky.social for their leadership!

I am profoundly grateful to my friends on the progressive left for their dedicated advocacy for policies that will make a difference for working people like rent stabilization, good jobs, and criminal justice reform. I have to respectfully disagree, though, with their analysis of the likely effects of ending separate party primaries for state and federal office in Massachusetts and using a single all-party primary instead, with the top two finishers going on to the general election. Massachusetts is not California. Our campaign finance rules are completely different and far more limiting and our population is much smaller. This fundamentally changes how money operates in our political system. Our politics will remain anchored in the grass-roots. I have to concede that campaigning to the whole electorate instead of to party insiders is a bigger job and harder work, but I'm going to plant my flag for all those who want to put democracy first. Democracy takes work. It takes the work of answering to the whole electorate. Answering to the whole electorate is what will give us an open, fair, and accountable political system. No election system is perfect and the vote-splitting risk is real but a rare event where this system operates. I have confidence that the goals my progressive friends are pursuing, like rent stabilization, good jobs, and criminal justice reform, are broadly appealing to the people of Massachusetts and across the vast number of districts in Massachusetts and that their candidates will continue to do well under an all-party primary system. I am also confident that their agenda will get a fuller public airing under an all-party primary system. So with a lot of love and respect, I have to dissent. I am planting my flag for the Democracy First movement and invite anyone who wants to join me in doing that to sign up at coalitionforhealthydemocracy.org. Love, Danielle

I am profoundly grateful to my friends on the progressive left for their dedicated advocacy for policies that will make a difference for working people. But I must respectfully dissent with Jonathan's view below. ... I'm going to plant my flag for all those who want to put democracy first.

The Renovator | Danielle Allen | Substack The Renovator is a Substack for everyone who wants to help renovate our democracy. Click to read The Renovator, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

Or to read more at therenovator.substack.com

I am profoundly grateful to my friends on the progressive left for their dedicated advocacy for policies that will make a difference for working people. But I must respectfully dissent with Jonathan's view below. ... I'm going to plant my flag for all those who want to put democracy first.

Hi Friends, I joined bluesky when it first rolled out but haven't been active. Starting over now! I'm looking forward to the conversation. --D