Unlike voters citywide who narrowly favored Democrat Jay Gonzales, Beacon Hill showed its support for Gov. Charlie Baker in the Nov. 6 midterm election.
According to the city’s unofficial results, 64 percent of voters in Ward 3, Precinct 6 and Ward 5, Precinct 3-5 and 11 opted for GOP Baker and Karyn Polito in their bid for second term as governor and lieutenant governor while 35 percent of Beacon Hill voters chose Gonzales and his running mate Quentin Palfrey (3,930 to 2,363 votes). In contrast, nearly 51 percent of voters citywide backed Gonzales and Palfrey (110,187 Votes) while Baker and Polito trailed with 49 percent of the ballot (107,108 votes).
Voter turnout on Beacon Hill was nearly 63 percent, compared to almost 54 percent citywide.
In the race for U.S. senator, 73 percent of Beacon Hill voters supported incumbent Democrat Elizabeth Warren (4,630 votes) in her bid for her second term while 23 and 4 percent of the neighborhood voters cast their ballots for Republican Geoff Diehl (1,400 votes) and Independent Shiva Ayyadurai (244 votes), respectively. Citywide, 80 percent of voters supported Warren (176, 305 votes) while Diehl trailed with 17 percent (36,977 votes) and Ayyadurai with 2 percent (5,427 votes).
Around 80 percent of Beacon Hill voters supported Secretary of State Bill Galvin (3,438 votes), helping the Democrat secure his bid for a sixth term, while Republican Anthony Amore (645 votes) garnered 15 percent of the neighborhood ballot and Green-Rainbow candidate Juan Sanchez (242 votes) received 4 percent. Citywide, 83 percent of voters supported Galvin (176,033 votes) while Amore and Sanchez trailed with 11 and 6 percent and 23,088 and 12,717 votes, respectively.
In the race for attorney general, 82 percent of Beacon Hill voters helped Democrat Maura Healey (5,132 votes) earn a second-term victory over GOP challenger Jay McMahon, who garnered 18 percent of the neighborhood ballot with 1,129 votes. Citywide, 86 percent of voters chose Healey (185,636 votes), compared with McMahon, who lagged behind with 14 percent of the ballot (29,021 votes).
Democratic candidate Rachael Rollins garnered 80 percent of ballots cast on Beacon Hill (4,587 votes) while Independent Michael Maloney, trailed with 20 percent and 1,137 votes. Citywide, 81 percent of voters supported Rollins (165,171 votes), compared to Maloney, who received 18 percent of the ballot and 36,944 votes.
On ballot Question 1 – a proposed law that would limit the number of patients who could be assigned to each registered nurse in Massachusetts hospitals and other healthcare facilities – 78 percent of Beacon Hill voters opposed it while 22 percent were in favor (1,492 to 845 votes). Citywide, 64 percent of voters (136,461 ballots cast) opposed the proposed legislation while 36 percent supported it (76,252 votes).
Around 77 percent of Beacon Hill voters (4,857 ballots cast) supported Question 2, which, according to the Boston.com, “would create a citizen commission to push a constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court decision on campaign finance,” while 23 percent opposed it (1,339 votes). Citywide, 78 percent of voters were in favor of the proposed legislation (161,821 ballots cast) while 22 percent opposed it (46,325 votes).
Ballot Question 3, which adds gender identity to the list of prohibited grounds for discrimination in places of public accommodation, resort or amusement, was supported by 86 percent of Beacon Hill voters (5,442 ballots cast) while 14 percent opposed it (890 votes). Citywide, nearly 77 percent of voters supported the proposed legislation (167,322 ballots cast) and 23 percent opposed it (51,034 votes).
Upon learning the election results, State Sen. Will Brownsberger, who ran unopposed in the midterms, wrote, “[I’m] really pleased with the ‘Yes ‘vote on Question 3. It means a lot to have such a strong majority standup for civil rights.”
State Rep. Jay Livingston, who also ran unopposed in the general election, said, “I am honored to be reelected and look forward to continuing to represent the 8th Suffolk District in the State House…and it wasn’t surprising that Elizabeth Warren and Maura Healy, who are both doing such a fantastic job, were so dominant with voters on Beacon Hill.”
Livingstone said he was pleased that Beacon Hill voters overwhelmingly chose to uphold civil rights by voting “yes” on Question 3. Regarding Question 2, he said he “look[s] forward to the commission’s work to recommend ways to remove dark money from politics.”
Rob Whitney, former chair and current member of Boston Ward 5 Democratic Committee, was on hand again at the Ward 5, Precinct 4 polls at the West End branch library and said despite the rain, he hadn’t seen such a turnout since Barack Obama defeated John McCain to be elected the 44th President of the U.S. on Nov. 4, 2008.
“National issues are trickling down to the local, ward and precinct levels…and people wanted to vote and have their voices heard,” Whitney said. “The polls going into the election didn’t suggest there would be any really close races, and I don’t think any particular ballot measure was the driver, but all these element came together for a perfect election storm.”