Question 1 Analysis
Why did Question 1 fail, especially since end-of-October polls showed that it would likely pass by a large 19%?
The Boston Globe says it’s largely due to Somerville Police Chief Robert Bradley’s last-minute commercial segment. On Oct. 30, Bradley’s straight-shooting 30-second commercial segment blitzed Question 1 by pummeling primarily female viewers with his almost angry reaction to the ballot question, and it worked. Ironically, the ad was least successful in his hometown where Question 1 was approved 53-47, and now, the Massachusetts Food Association has filed a complaint with the State Ethics Commission regarding Bradley’s ad.
The Globe cites a couple other reasons as well: inability to identify with supermarkets, i.e., voting no was a vote for the little guy; lack of a strong spokesperson like Bradley for the supermarkets; and too broad a law by including convenience stores, gas stations, and minimarts along with grocery stroes.
Will we see the question revisited in the near future? Who knows.
