State sets voter turnout record amid Obama win

BOSTON (AP) - Good weather, a historic presidential race and weighty ballot questions triggered a record Election Day turnout in Massachusetts.

Shaheen wrests NH Senate seat from Sununu

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Democrat Jeanne Shaheen defeated Republican Sen. John Sununu Tuesday in a fierce rematch between two candidates who stayed the same while nearly everything around them changed.

State congressional delegation all-blue as usual

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts is remaining true blue by re-electing the members of its all-Democratic congressional delegation.

Sen. John Kerry headlined the list Tuesday, along with Congressmen John Olver, Barney Frank, John Tierney and Edward Markey.

The six other House members had no challengers, and Sen. Edward Kennedy was not up for re-election.

State voters kill Question 1; income tax will remain

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts voters have rejected a call to eliminate the state's income tax.

The measure would have cut the 5.3 percent tax rate in half in January, and then killed it completely in January 2010.

Obama adds New Hampshire to win column

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Democrat Barack Obama has won New Hampshire, the state where he suffered a humbling loss on his way to the nomination.

The win gives Obama a clean sweep of the five New England states.

Obama defeated Republican John McCain on Tuesday to claim the state's four electoral votes.

Lines, lines, lines: Heavy state turnout mirrors nation

BOSTON (AP) - Lines snaked down sidewalks, through parking lots and around buildings Tuesday as Massachusetts voters finally had their say on a historic presidential race and a slate of hotly debated ballot questions, including one to abolish the state income tax.

Early signs point to big turnout in New Hampshire

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Long lines at some New Hampshire polling places that opened early suggested that the predicted heavy turnout for Tuesday's election is happening.

In Manchester, where officials said they expected turnout to exceed the 94 percent in the last presidential election, machinist Nicholas Diaz said he had never seen so many people show up to vote early at Ward 2.

State voters in line early for historic election

BOSTON (AP) - Lines snaked through parking lots, around buildings and down sidewalks early Tuesday as Massachusetts voters came out early to decide a historic presidential election and choose whether to eliminate the income tax, decriminalize a small amount of marijuana and ban greyhound racing in the state.

Massachusetts voters set to decide tax, pot, dog questions

BOSTON (AP) - With rallies and phone calls, e-mails and ads, supporters and opponents of three ballot questions made their final pitch to voters on the eve of Election Day.

Question 1 creates $12.5 billion dilemma

BOSTON - What gets cut if Question One passes? It's the one question backers of the initiative to end the Massachusetts income tax have struggled to answer in detail.

Question One question: If it passes, where to cut $12.5 billion?

BOSTON (AP) - What gets cut if Question One passes? It's the one question backers of the initiative to end the Massachusetts income tax have struggled to answer in detail.

Massachusetts House challengers face cash, name hurdles

BOSTON (AP) - Rep. Barney Frank spends more time these days working on the nation's financial crisis than running for re-election.

That's illustrative of the challenge - or lack thereof - the state's congressional delegation faces next week.

State's absentee voters must get ballot by noon Monday

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts voters have until noon on Monday to pick up absentee ballots if they can't get to their local polling location on Tuesday.

Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin said that under state law, the cut off to get an absentee ballot is noon. Those ballots must still be turned into by the end of voting on Tuesday.

Sides make final pitch for, against dog racing ballot question

BOSTON (AP) - Both sides in the battle over a ballot question to ban greyhound racing in Massachusetts are making a final push for votes.

Supporters of the initiative, which would phase out dog racing by 2010, rallied on Boston Common on Sunday to call attention to the proposal, which they say would help protect greyhounds from injuries.

Kerry, Beatty in opposite corners

If their two debates are any indication, incumbent U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry and Republican challenger Jeff Beatty have little in common and agree on nothing.

From the war in Iraq and immigration policy to federal spending and a ballot question that would eliminate Massachusetts' income tax, the two candidates staked out positions that starkly contrast with each other.

Massachusetts ministers mobilize to oppose pot question

BOSTON (AP) - A group of Boston religious leaders is sending a letter to clergy statewide urging them to ask their congregations to help defeat a ballot question that if approved would decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Question 2 would make possession of an ounce or less of marijuana a civil rather than criminal offense.

New Hampshire Senate rematch may hinge on presidential race

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Given Jeanne Shaheen's aggressive advertising, you'd think Sen. John Sununu is George W. Bush.

New law allows residents to vote with old address

BOSTON - Gov. Deval Patrick signed a new law Wednesday allowing Massachusetts voters who have moved in the past 18 months to vote at their old address if they failed to re-register at their new home.

The law will apply only to this election, in part to address concerns about voters forced out of their homes and apartments due to the foreclosure crisis.

Poll: State voters saying yes to lesser pot penalties, no to income tax elimination

BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts voters appear to be resisting the chance to eliminate the state income tax, according to a new poll that also found voters supporting the easing of marijuana laws. Voters seem evenly split over a third ballot question that would ban greyhound racing.

Budget blurs income tax ballot item

BOSTON - Midway through a press conference outlining his response to a $1.4 billion hole in the state budget, Gov. Deval Patrick paused, lowered his voice and spoke directly to the television cameras.