Day of Decision

Brisk turnout for pivotal election

Aided by the flexibility of early voting and motivated by a particularly fierce presidential race and a slate of ballot questions addressing concerns of import to many voters, Bostonians and South Enders voted in force in the election period culminating on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8. According to the Boston Elections Department, there are currently 415,536 registered voters in Boston, the highest number in the City in over 30 years. Prior to the 2012 presidential election, there were 387,142 voters registered in Boston. The election department also reported that during the early voting period from October 24 through November 4, 47,909 ballots were cast, representing 11.5 per cent of the registered voters in the City of Boston. Ward 3, precinct 7 cast 777 early voting ballots; ward 8, precinct 2 cast 99 early ballots; ward 8, precinct 2 cast 272 early ballots. On Election Day, voters cast 3,940 two-sheet ballots at the Cathedral High School gymnasium, polling place for ward 3, precinct 7 and ward 8, precincts 1 and 2 as of 7:15 PM on Tuesday, November 8.

While the South End's legislators, state senator Sonia Chang-Diaz and state representatives Byron Rushing and Aaron Michlewitz were unopposed, there was a four-way race for Register of Deeds, in which former city council president, Stephen Murphy won handily with 73 per cent of the vote. In Boston, 63 per cent of voters rejected Ballot Question 1 to add a slots casino; 62 per cent voted No on Question 2 to lift the cap on charter schools; 81 per cent, higher than the statewide margin, voted Yes on Question 3 to improve living conditions for farm animals; and 62 per cent voted Yes on Question 4 to legalize recreational marijuana. Boston voters also approved Question 5, the Community Preservation Act, which will raise funds from property taxes to support parks, affordable housing, historic preservation and other quality-of-life concerns.

Despite the vitriol and divisiveness of the almost two-year campaign cycle leading up to Tuesday's elections, campaign volunteers representing different candidates and differing positions on the five questions on Boston ballots were calm and cordial in the neighborhood. Matt Leiwant, a 26 year old supporter of Question 2 whose sister is a charter school principal in New Bedford, chatted amiably with a woman who was campaigning for No votes on Question 2. "It's been a very divisive election, but it's been very nice out here," Leiwant observed. Explaining his interest in the charter-school question, Leiwant said, "I went to public school in New York City and I survived it, but there were no options for me and I didn't want other kids to have to deal with that. I want to let communities create options for themselves." Sarah Albright, who campaigned in favor of Question 3 at the corner of Washington Street and Monsignor Reynolds Way, has been involved in the Yes on 3 movement for over a year "Because I believe in basic freedom for mammals and chickens. In our society, if you don't treat the elderly, the disabled, the defenseless as well as they should be treated, the poor treatment works its way up." Shawmut Avenue resident Laura Ray added, "Pigs in gestation crates can't even turn around and that's how they spend their lives until they are inhumanely slaughtered. Chickens are in a cage where they can't even spread their wings and veal calves are taken away from their mothers the minute they are born and they have chains around their necks. They can't move." Ray, who is retired, describes herself as a full-time activist, doing events all around Boston to raise awareness on animal protection issues.

Animal protection activist Laura Ray

Yes on 2 / No on 2 activists.

Yes on 2 / No on 2 activists.