CAMBRIDGE, Mass. | November 3, 2026

Below is a statement from the Coalition for Healthy Democracy, or the YES on 3 campaign:

“We knew from the start that this was a race against the status quo.

Change can be difficult, no matter how uncomfortable the status quo is. We are used to a system where most races are settled before November and most voters never get a real choice. The familiar can feel safe, even when the familiar isn’t working.

And when you throw grit into the gears of a political machine, the machine fights back. The people who benefit most from the way things are fought hard for this result. In the last few weeks, voters heard a lot from people with the most to protect under the current system: the major political parties and insiders who want to decide what choices voters get on their ballots. That’s what defending the status quo looks like.

But so many across Massachusetts stood up and said they’re done with elections that are decided before they begin. They’re done with incumbents coasting to reelection, year after year, without competition. They’re done with leaders kicking the can down the road on housing, transportation, energy, education and affordability, while putting their real effort into protecting themselves. The people of Massachusetts want real choices in November and elected officials who have to work to earn all of our votes. That frustration doesn’t go away tonight.

Thank you to everyone who took on the status quo with us, and to every voter who said yes. We built an incredible multiracial, multigenerational, cross-class, cross-ideological democracy-first coalition: former governors who once ran against each other, mayors, civil rights leaders, building trades, environmental advocates, former party chairs, legislators, volunteers and our entire, incredible team.

On this question and others, every voter in Massachusetts got a real choice and a real contest. That’s how every election should feel. We’ll keep working until it does.”

For more on the YES on 3 campaign for All-Party Primaries, visit yeson3ma.org.

Media contact: press@coalitionforhealthydemocracy.org