The team of political scientists who direct the University of Massachusetts Amherst / WCVB Poll have released a series of findings from a new statewide poll that surveyed respondents about a number of topics, including their views of Gov. Charlie Baker’s job performance, candidate preference in the 2022 gubernatorial race and a number of issues impacting the commonwealth, such as the COVID pandemic and K-12 education. With Baker choosing not to seek re-election to a third term earlier this week, the poll and the expertise of UMass pollsters have earned an especially high profile. The poll’s results on the question of requiring voter identification are also covered following the failure of a Republican-led effort to drive a new law requiring IDs to gather enough signatures to appear on next year’s ballot. (The Lowell Sun, Cape Cod Times, Yahoo!News, New Bedford Standard-Times, Gloucester Daily Times, 12/3/21; various News Office releases)