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SOUTH BOSTON ONLINE
VOLUME XIX- ISSUE 74
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Remember to Vote Tuesday November 3rd
he Boston Election D e p a r t m e nt reminds voters that the State Election will take place on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Voters will elect the Commonwealth’s Governor, a United States Senator, members of the United States House of Representatives and the Massachusetts General Court, and other local officials. This election will also feature nine ballot questions. Voters are encouraged to review their choices before heading to the polls on Election Day. Boston has a total of 443,178 registered voters. The Election Department has recruited and trained more than 2,002 poll workers to serve across the 275 voting precincts in Boston.
More than 483 poll workers can provide language assistance in Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean, Ru s sia n, a nd Por t u g ue se.
Voting On Election Day Polling locations open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. A list of polling locations is available he r e : ht t p s : //w w w.b o s t on . g o v /d e p a r t m e n t s /e l e c t i o n s / c it y-b o s ton-p ol l i n g-lo c at ion s Voters should check their registration status via the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website. Printed ballots will be available in English and Spanish, as well as English and Chinese and English and Vietnamese where required. Language interpreters will also be available upon request. All
voting locations are wheelchair accessible and are equipped w it h a n AutoMa rk Voter Assist Terminal for voters with disabilities to assist with marking t he ba l lot i ndependent ly. The ballots will consist of three double-sided cards. Voters should cast the cards into the tabulator one at a time, waiting for the screen to say “system ready” before inserting the next card or leaving.
Poll Pads Electronic Check-n Poll Pads will be used to check-in voters at each polling location. The voting process for voters remains the same: voters will check in with a poll worker, receive a 3 card, doublesided ballot, mark their vote, check out, and cast their ballot.
Central Tabulation On Monday, October 26, the City of Boston started processing mail-in and in-person early voting ballots cast for the State Election for all 275 precincts. Ballots will be removed from their envelopes and fed into a tabulator at Boston City Hall, One City Hall Square, Room 801, Boston, MA 02201. On ly ba l lot s rec eived prior to Friday, October 30, 2026, will be removed and deposited in Room 801.
Advance Processing Schedule Ba llot remova l a nd processing will occur daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., beginning on Monday, October 26 through Tuesday, November 3, 2026, with processing beginning at Continued on Page 2
Happy Halloween The Castle Island Association’s spooktacular Children’s Magical Halloween Castle at Fort Independence Saturday and today was a huge success! From adorable costumes and the haunted fort to Halloween fun and story time for the whole family, the event was filled with plenty of spooky smiles and magical memories! As a special bonus, John McCosh of Lightflex Studios was on hand offering free photos to capture all the Halloween fun! Thank you to the CIA and all the volunteers who make this wonderful South Boston tradition so special!
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Continued from Page 1
Voting
7:00 a.m. on November 3 (if necessary) and continuing until all ballots have been processed. All ba llots adva nce processed by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 30, 2026, will be centrally tabulated. All other ballots received on Election Day (Tuesday, November 3, 2026) will be counted at a later date to be publicly noticed (schedu le to follow), provided t hey meet one of the following deadlines: Received by 8:00 p.m. on November 3, 2026; or Postmarked by November 3, 2026, and received before 5:00 p.m. on November 6, 2026
Early Voting Totals A total of 10,083 voters have voted early at in-person early voting sites across the City as of Monday, October 26, 2026.
Ballot Return The Election Department has mailed out all 69,759 requested vote-by-mail and absentee ballots. As of Sunday, October 25, 2026, the City has received 29,269 returned ballots by mail. The total number of ballots received by mail and in-person early voting is 39,352. Voters who requested a ballot and have not yet returned it are encouraged to return their ballots using any of the 22 drop boxes or in person at the Election Department in City Hall to ensure their ballots are counted. Ballot drop boxes are open to accept ballots through 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3. Ballot packages postmarked by Tuesday, November 3 must be received by the Election Department no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, November 6, 2026. Reminder: All ballot drop boxes will be closed as early as 8am on October 31 and reopened on November 1 by 2:00 pm. Voters can deposit their ballot after the box is reopened or deliver it to the Boston Election Department, City Hall Room 241.
Ballots cannot be returned to a polling location on Election Day. Voters can track their ballot through the state’s website here. If there is no movement indicated in the “Track My Ballot” system, voters should plan to vote in person on Election Day at their assigned precinct. Voters can check their polling location/status here.
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State Election Ballot Questions
Unofficial Results After polls close at 8:00 p.m., the Election Department will receive and upload unofficial results of ballots counted at polling places as they are returned from each precinct. Poll workers need time to tally election results and transport materials from polling places to City Hall. Uploading of election results may not begin until 10:00 p.m. Click here for additional information on election results. The initial results reported on the website on election night will include: Ballots cast in person on election day; Early voting and mail-in ballots, including those from precincts being centrally tabulated at the City Hall central tabulation facility. The unofficial results uploaded to www.boston.gov/election on election night will NOT include: Hand counted ballots recorded in the precinct clerk’s book after the close of polls or; Mail and absentee ballots that arrive on time on election day, but are too late to be sent to polling locations to be counted. These ballots will be processed after the close of polls at 8:00 p.m., once the voter lists from each precinct have been received by the Election Department. All other ballots not delivered to the polls that arrive on Election Day on November 3, 2026, will be counted at a later date to be publicly noticed (schedule to follow), provided they meet one of the following deadlines: Received by 8:00 p.m. on November 3, 2026; or Postmarked by November 3, 2026, and received before 5:00 p.m. on November 6, 2026
Question 1: Expanding the Public Records Law The proposed law would make most records held the Legislature and the Office of the Governor public records under the Massachusetts Public Records Law. Question 2: Collective Bargaining for Public Defenders This proposed law would specify that employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services are permitted to engage in collective bargaining with their employer. Question 3: All-Party Primary Elections This proposed law would eliminate political party primaries for state elections and instead establish a system where there would be a single, allparty primary in which all candidates, regardless of their party affiliation, would be listed on one ballot, and voters could vote for any candidate on the ballot. Question 4: Election Day Registration The proposed law would permit eligible individuals to register to vote or update their voter registration address on Election Day. Question 5: State Revenue Limit and Rebate This proposed law would change the limit on how much revenue the state can collect in a given year. Question 6: Natural Resource Conservation Fund This proposed law would establish a Nature for All Fund that, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, would receive 50% of state taxes collected from the sale of sporting goods, recreational vehicles and golf courses for the first year of its operation. Question 7: Single-Family Homes This proposed law would allow single-family homes to be built in a residentially zoned area as long as the land on which it is to be constructed is at least 5,000 square feet, has at least 50 feet of land bordering the street, road, or public way that it faces, and has access to public sewer and water services. Question 8: Prohibiting Retail Sale of Adult Recreational Marijuana
The proposed law would change the type and amount of marijuana that may legally be possessed in Massachusetts by repealing the laws that legalize, regulate, and tax the retail sale of adult recreational marijuana in Massachusetts. Question 9: Firearms Regulation The law makes a number of changes to Massachusetts laws governing firearms. The question asks if the law should be left in place or repealed.
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AFT Endorses Senator Nick Collins for Re-Election
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he American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, which represents teachers, paraprofessionals, librarians, nurses, and support staff in public schools, colleges, and libraries across the Commonwealth, announced its endorsement of Senator Nick Collins in his campaign for re-election to serve the First Suffolk District in the Massachusetts Senate. “Senator Collins has been a strong champion for supporting the rights of workers and the issues impacting the labor movement statewide,” said AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang. “We are proud to join dozens of other unions in endorsing his campaign for re-election and look forward to working with him next session to make public education more equitable and address critical disparities to move us closer to being a Commonwealth that works for everyone, not just the few.” “Our most important obligation is to ensure everyone has access to a quality public education and the American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts plays a key role in fulfilling that mission,” said Senator Collins. “That’s why I am honored to work alongside them to improve our education system and to earn their endorsement for my re-election.” AFT Massachusetts includes the Boston Teachers Union, Local 66, which represents more than 10,000 active and retired teachers and other professionals including school nurses, psychologists, guidance counselors, paraprofessionals, and substitute teachers. The AFT Massachusetts also includes the Boston Librarians Union (BLU), which is affiliated with the Massachusetts Library Staff Association (MLSA) Local 4928. First elected to the House in 2010, Collins has served in the Senate since 2018. During this time, he has consistently sponsored and co-sponsored legislation to strengthen and protect collective bargaining rights for workers in the public and private sectors. In addition, Senator Collins has fought to extend Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) protections to graduate student workers and municipal employees, a priority of the AFT Massachusetts.
About Nick
Born and raised in South Boston, Nick comes from a large family. From a young age, his grandparents and parents instilled the value of hard work and discipline in him and the importance of investing in and giving back into the community. Nick is a proud graduate of Boston Latin School and Babson College. In 2010, Nick was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. In 2018, Nick was elected to the Massachusetts State Senate to serve the 1st Suffolk District, which comprises the neighborhoods of South Boston, Dorchester, Lower Mills, Chinatown, Leather District, South
End, Bay Village, and parts of Mattapan, Roxbury and the Back Bay. Nick represents over 180,000 residents in one of the most diverse districts in the state. Nick works hard for his constituents at the State House and in the community. He is responsive and is focused on addressing pressing challenges that impact residents such as supporting tax relief and expanded tax credits for working families, small businesses and seniors, increasing affordable housing growth through the MBTA Communities Act and Affordable Homes Act, improving public health and safety, protecting civil rights and immigrant communities,
improving labor standards, and providing quality education and reliable transportation for residents. Nick prioritizes delivering quality constituent services to thousands of people who call his office per year for assistance. Nick and his wife are raising his two young daughters in South Boston.
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A Spooky Time at Castle Island
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THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2026
School Bus Safety Program for Kids
City, BPS seeks vendor to install stop-arm cameras to catch drivers illegally passing stopped school buses
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he City of Boston and Boston Public Schools a n nou nc e d t he launch of a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking qualified providers to implement a school bus safety program. The program will use stop-arm cameras to identify drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses and support enforcement, helping protect students as they get on and off school buses. “Drivers who ignore safety laws and put our kids at risk must be held accountable,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “The new legislation allowing cities to use camera enforcement on school buses is a good first step, and we will continue to advocate for tools to reduce unsafe behavior.” “Protecting students as they
travel to and from school is a shared responsibility,” said Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper. “When drivers fail to stop for a school bus, they put our students at serious risk. This program will provide an additional tool to deter dangerous behavior and strengthen accountability, as we continue to make improvements that keep our students and families safe.” The selected vendor will install and operate the system, beginning with a three-month pilot on 25 buses before gradually expanding to additional buses. During the pilot, the program will collect baseline data, educate the public, and issue warning letters rather than citations. After the pilot, the program will begin issuing citations for violations, with revenue from fines used to cover program costs. Illegal passing of stopped school buses displaying extended stop-arms and flashing red lights poses a severe, immediate threat to child safety. Under Massachusetts General Laws (M.G.L. c. 90, § 14), motorists are strictly required
to stop for school buses loading or unloading children. However, manual enforcement by law enforcement officers and bus drivers is difficult and constrained by limited resources. “I am grateful to see this RFP finally be released after years of advocacy from school parents and community members, “ said City Councilor Enrique Pepen. “My first in-community meeting after I was inaugurated was on Washington Street in Roslindale with local parents watching vehicles drive past school buses with the stop arm out. It’s about time we put in camera enforcement on the school buses to stop these acts of negligence.” To address this urgent challenge, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts enacted state enabling legislation (An Act concerning the safety of school children embarking and disembarking
school buses, M.G.L. c. 40, § 71 and c. 90, §§ 14C–14D), authorizing municipalities and school districts to deploy automated camera enforcement systems on school buses. Pursuant to this statutory authority, the City and BPS are launching this initiative to implement an advanced, automated Stop-Arm Camera Enforcement Program. The City released the new RFP on October 5, 2026, through the City’s Procurement Department webpage. Interested and qualified parties must register through the Supplier Portal to access the RFP. The City will hold a virtual question-and-answer session regarding the RFP for potential bidders on October 19, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Meeting information will be posted on the City’s bid webpage. Responses to the RFP are due on October 30, 2026.
Flynn Calls for Removal of the O’Connor Way Bike Lane
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oston City Councilor Ed Flynn filed a hearing order to discuss the decisionmaking and lack of community process that resulted in both the construction and removal of a bike lane on O’Connor Way in South Boston - all in a span of two months. In August, without notice to neighbors and elected officials, the City of Boston began constructing a twoway bike lane in front of 5 O’Connor Way, a 46 unit affordable senior housing development. After months of advocacy from neighbors, the Andrew Square Civic Association, the Chief of Streets notified elected officials to confirm the removal of the bike lane. Councilor Flynn believes a public hearing is warranted on account of the waste of taxpayer money that could have been prevented with a genuine community process. In August, the City of Boston held a private meeting with the residents at O’Connor Way without notification to the public at large or the South Boston elected officials. Neighbors raised concerns that they wanted handicap resident parking there instead, that this would create dangerous and inaccessible crossing conditions walking from the street into the building, and make it
difficult for our first responders to reach an emergency with snow in the winter months. In subsequent days and weeks, residents reported and sent photos and video of an ambulance unable to pull up in front of the building, and another where both an ambulance and a firetruck had difficulty accessing the building. During first responder calls, with neighbors in their car unable to access the street for more than 45 minutes, vehicles were forced to make unsafe turns the wrong way onto Dorchester Avenue. “When the City of Boston constructs and removes a bike lane in a matter of two months - that is a textbook waste of taxpayer money. Unfortunately, this is just the latest example and result of the City and Office of Neighborhood Services not conducting a thorough community process. We cannot in good conscience continue to say we stand for values of transparency or public process and, at the very same time, repeatedly fail to uphold and govern by those same standards at the local level,” said Councilor Flynn. For more information, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617635-3203 and Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov.
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Antoinette Bailey Receives Valuing Associates Award
ntoinette Bailey, Wellness Coordinator at local memory support community, Compass on the Bay in South Boston, recently received the Valuing Associates Award at Senior Living Residences’
annual Star Awards ceremony. Antoinette’s commitment to making each resident feel seen is what makes her care stand out from those around her. Though Antoinette is the Wellness Coordinator, she takes it upon herself to play a
role in dining, programming, and maintenance because she believes that everyone on the Compass team must work together for the benefit of the residents. This November, Antoinette will celebrate 15 years at Senior Living
Residences. From her first day on the job through proudly standing on the stage at the Star Awards, Antoinette has put her best work forward, not for the recognition, but because she genuinely cannot imagine doing anything less.
Learning, Science and Fun in the Classroom State Representative David Biele was proud to partner with “Activate” to bring the outside world into the classrooms of St. Peter Academy. Special thanks to Walt from Coastal Assembly, PBC for a fun presentation on how waves, beaches, and science technology act together to protect our beaches. Great reminder that learning and science can be fun and apply beyond the classroom, on the oceans and beaches surrounding our community peninsula.
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s. Peggy Byrne’s Grade 1B students at South Boston Catholic Academy practiced being “Firefighters in Training” during Fire Prevention Month The goal of Fire Prevention Month is to raise fire safety awareness and help protect families, their pets and their homes. It is also a time dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of fire prevention and fire safety for homeowners, schools and business owners. Fire Prevention Month
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Firefighters in Training is a time to teach children about fire safety and the important role firefighters play in our communities. Activities involved reading about what firefighters do and roleplaying as firefighters, which helps children understand what firefighter duties are. Engaging children in printable worksheets, activities and coloring books can help make learning fun and memorable for children. Ms. Byrne also gave her students a checklist as they walked around the school building looking for and finding the fire alarms,
smoke detectors, sprinklers, fire extinguishers and EXIT signs that were on their checklist. Teaching children about fire safety can empower them to act calmly and responsibly in emergencies and during our routine fire drills at school. The students were able to share what they learned about fire safety awareness and prevention at home with their families, too. Our Principal, Dr. Helenann Civian, told our Grade 1B Firefighters in Training how proud she was of them and thanked them for helping to remind us about
fire prevention and fire safety and for helping to keep our school safe. A Special Thank You to Lieutenant Henry Perkins, Fire Education Officer and his staff member, Jules Sodna, for bringing the Firefighters Hats and Coloring Books to the SBCA students in 1B. “The best way to protect your family and property is to practice fire safety.”National Fire Protection Association. New families are welcome to email our admissions team at admissions@ sbcatholicadacademy.org for more info. about South Boston Catholic Academy.
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Flynn Files Hearing Order to Discuss Ongoing Public Safety and Quality of Life Issues in South Boston
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ver the last year, residents across South Boston have raised concerns about public safety and quality of life concerns due to open air drug dealing, public drug use, homeless encampments, and crime in the areas of the Fourth Street Bridge, West Broadway and the James M. Kelly Bridge, Fort Point Channel, Andrew Square, Moakley Park across from Carson Beach, Medal of Honor Park, and others. This week, Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn filed a hearing order to discuss these ongoing public safety and quality of life issues in South Boston.
Since the implementation of the encampment ordinance in November 2023, Andrew Square in particular has carried a large brunt of the mental and behavioral health issues spilling over from Mass & Cass due to the large MBTA Red Line station, which has become a gathering point. The Andrew Square Civic Association has been in contact with the MBTA to request projects including adding lighting around benches, scraping and painting the walls and floors, and improving the scope of safety cameras. Neighbors in the Fort Point area have also raised concerns
ZONING HEARING The Zoning Commission of the City of Boston hereby gives notice, in accordance with Chapter 665 of the Acts of 1956, as amended, that a virtual public hearing will be held on November 18, 2026, at 9:00 A.M., in connection with Text Amendment Application No. 557 and Map Amendment Application No. 801, submitted by the Boston Planning and Development Agency. The proposed text amendment would permit Planned Development Areas (PDAs) within the WM Subdistrict, providing greater flexibility for sites within this subdistrict to shape the uses, character, and design of complex development proposals to incorporate housing and public realm improvements. The proposed map amendment to Map 4F would extend the boundary of the existing WM Subdistrict to West First Street to better align with current and projected land use patterns and show that PDAs are eligible to be located in this Subdistrict. This meeting will only be held virtually and not in person. You can participate in this meeting by going to https://bosplans.org/BZCNov182026. Copies of the proposed amendments may be obtained from the Zoning Commission electronically, and you may also submit written comments or questions to zoningcommission@boston.gov. Interpreting services are available to communicate information at this hearing. If you require interpreting services, please contact the following: zoningcommission@boston.gov or 617-918-4308. The meeting is scheduled for November18, 2026. Please request interpreting services no later than November 13, 2026.
For the Commission Jeffrey M. Hampton Executive Secretary
about encampments being set up along the Fort Point Channel and at Rolling Bridge Park across from Gillette Headquarters. Along Broadway, there have been reports of homeless individuals sleeping in ATMs on East Broadway, and congregations of people near both the Fourth Street and Kelly bridges. South Boston has also experienced property crimes and occasional violent incidents over the last year. In June, two teenagers robbed a children’s lemonade stand at gunpoint on West Ninth Street. In July, a person was shot outside a bar near 58 Seaport Boulevard, and in March, a man was fatally stabbed inside an apartment at 258 Old Colony Avenue. Just last week, Boston Police investigated a string of property damage incidents, including smashed car windshields on Telegraph Street, Ewer Street, Gold Street, and West Fourth Street
“We cannot accept public drug dealing and public drug use. Residents want us to address these public safety and quality of life issues in South Boston. I will continue to work with colleagues to bring neighbors, law enforcement, city and state partners together to push for improved response to these challenges.” For more information, plea se contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 a nd E d.Fly nn@Boston.gov.
The City of Boston’s Planning Department invites residents to participate in planning that will help shape the future of the City. You can sign up to receive Planning Department emails and learn about opportunities to get involved here: bosplans.org/GetInvolved
BostonPlans.org
@BostonPlans
Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary
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