An article reporting that Gov. Charlie Baker will appoint an interim MBTA leader before leaving office in January cites a UMass/WCVB poll that found riders blame the current leader for problems with the public transportation system. (Boston.com, 11/14/22; News Office release)

UMass Poll researchers Tatishe Nteta, Adam Eichen, Maddi Hertz, Ray La Raja, Jesse Rhodes and Alexander Theodoridis write that their research found antigay attitudes did not influence Massachusetts voters’ election of Maura Healey as the nation’s first openly lesbian elected governor and that sexism may hurt candidates more, at least in Massachusetts. (The Washington Post, 11/15/22)

Amel Ahmed, Associate Professor of Political Science, has a new article on The Conversation about the often-overlooked work of local election administrators. As Ahmed writes, election officials are usually overworked, underpaid, and feeling pressure from multiple sources, especially in small, undersupported jurisdictions. Ahmed also commented on NPR and in The Times in advance of the midterm election. She told NPR, “The fate of democracy really hinges on whether or not losers accept defeat and whether they recognize losses as losses.” Ahmed adds, “I believe the focus on the machinery of elections has obscured a different threat to the nation’s elections: Local election administrators work under increasingly difficult circumstances, with dwindling resources and mounting challenges.” (The Conversation, Times-Union, WBTW, Milwaukee Independent, StudyFinds, NPR, The Times 11/07/2022)

Tatishe Nteta, Provost Professor of Political Science and Director of the UMass poll, is quoted in a story on Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Massachusetts to campaign for Democratic candidates Maura Healey, Kim Driscoll and Andrea Campbell, who are running for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, respectively. “Many Democrats aren’t that excited about this slate of candidates,” Nteta says, adding that Harris’ appearance will remind voters about the women-led ticket. “These are historic firsts,” he says, calling Harris “the embodiment of a historic first” as the first Black and female vice president. (Axios.com, 11/3/22)