District 8 City Councilor Sharon Durkan cruised to an easy reelection victory in the city’s Tuesday, Nov. 7, municipal election.
“Thank you, District 8. Tonight, we won every precinct of the district again! I’m honored to continue to serve the West End, Beacon Hill, Fenway–Kenmore, Back Bay and Mission Hill for another two years. The work continues!” Councilor Durkan posted on X (formerly Twitter).
municipal election.
According to the city’s unofficial election results, Councilor Durkan garnered more than 70 percent of the ballot (3,686 votes out of a total of 5,591 ballots cast) while her opponent Montez Haywood trailed with just under 29 percent of the ballot (1,512 votes).
Haywood, an assistant district attorney with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office since 2006, lost to Durkan in the July 25 Special Election to succeed Kenzie Bok as District 8 City Councilor after Bok stepped down from the seat to assume the reins of the Boston Housing Authority. He also previously ran an unsuccessful campaign for the seat in the fall of 2019, losing to Bok when she was elected to her first term in office.
An additional 35 votes, or .67 percent of the ballot, were cast for write-in candidates for District 8 City Councilor.
Henry Santana, who previously worked in the office of former District 8 Councilor Bok and also served as the city’s first Director of Civic Organizing under Mayor Michelle Wu, was the only newcomer elected to one of the four at-Large City Council seats.
Santana placed fourth in the eight-way race, garnering more than 15 percent of the ballot, or 32,902 votes out of a total of 76,397 ballots cast.
“Boston, tonight our city delivered a clear and resounding vote for progress. I’m honored to serve as your next City Councilor At-Large, and I’m ready to fight on behalf of every neighborhood and every resident of this city. Let’s get to work,” Santana posted on X after declaring victory in the election.
Other top candidates in the at-large race included three incumbents who earned the top three slots and secured their respective reelection bids – Ruthzee Louijeune, who garnered more than just 20 percent of the ballot, or 43,127 votes cast; Erin Murphy, who received just under 20 percent of the ballot, or 42,476 votes cast; and Julia Mejia, who garnered more than 18 percent of the ballot, or 38,529 votes cast.