By Dan Murphy
Incumbent Mayor Michelle Wu and rival Josh Kraft topped the ballot in a four-way mayoral race in the preliminary election on Tuesday, Sept. 9, paving their way for a rematch in the Nov. 4 municipal election.
According to the city’s unofficial election results, Mayor Wu garnered nearly 72 percent of the ballot (66,398 votes) while Kraft, a 58-year-old political newcomer who has worked in the nonprofit sector and is the son of New England Patriots owner, Robert Kraft, trailed her with just over 23 percent of the ballot (21, 324 votes).Domingos Darosa, a community activist, came in third with under 3 percent of the ballot (2,409 votes), ahead of a perennial candidate for public office, Robert Cappucci, with just over 2 percent of the ballot (2,074votes).
In a 10-way race for four open City Councilor at-Large seats, four incumbent councilors topped the ballot – current Council President Ruthzee Louijeune, with nearly 19 percent of the ballot (45,500 votes); Julia Mejia, with more than 17 percent of the ballot (42,245 votes); Erin Murphy, with just over 16 percent of the ballot (38,981 votes); and Henry Santana, with nearly 13 precent of the ballot (30,670 votes).
Former District 3 Councilor Frank Baker placed fifth in the race, with nearly 11 percent of the ballot (26,240 votes), trailed by Alexandra Valdez, a City Hall veteran who currently serves as director of Boston’s Office of Cultural Affairs, with nearly 8 percent of the ballot (18,930 votes).
Marvin Mathelier, a small business owner and Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council member, garnered nearly 6 percent of the ballot (13,826 votes), while Will Onuoha, assistant general counsel and director of health and safety for the Boston Water and Sewer Commission and a former longtime City Hall worker, received under 5 precent of the ballot (11,216 votes).
These eight candidates will all procced to the Nov. 4 municipal election.