Dossier
Senate president
Coverage of Senate president in the Nexus archive.
- Lack of contested legislative races and overflow of ballot questions reflect democracy in decline
The article discusses the correlation between few contested legislative races and a high number of ballot questions in Massachusetts, suggesting this reflects a decline in democratic engagement. Jay Kaufman, a former state representative, argues that unopposed elections lead to legislative underperformance and reduced accountability, with citizens resorting to initiatives due to legislative inaction and hierarchical control by House and Senate leaders.