Like voters throughout the Commonwealth, Boston residents resoundingly supported Maura Healey in her historic victory in the Nov. 8 general election to become the next Governor of Massachusetts.
According to the city’s unofficial election results, the bill of Healey, the Democratic attorney general, and her running mate, Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll, garnered nearly 81 percent of ballots cast in Boston, or 138,775 votes, compared with her Republican challenger, Geoff Diehl, and his running mate, Lt. Gov. candidate Leah Cole Allen, who together received nearly 18 percent of ballots cast in Boston, or 30,278 votes citywide. Kevin Reed, a Libertarian candidate for governor and his running mate, Lt. Gov.-hopeful Peter Everett, trailed with around 1.4 precent of ballots cast in Boston, or 2,416 votes citywide.
Healey will become the first female, as well as the first openly gay, elected Governor of Massachusetts, while her victorious bill with Driscoll, the former Mayor of Salem, also made history as the first female duo elected to the Massachusetts governorship.
In another first, Andera Campbell, the former city councilor who made an unsuccessful bid for Mayor of Boston in last November’s general election, also made history to become the first Black woman elected as Attorney General of Massachusetts.
Campbell, a Democrat, garnered around 81 percent of the ballot in Boston, or 137, 477 votes, while her challenger, Republican nominee Jay McMahon, trailed with nearly 19 percent of the ballot, or 31,870 votes cast citywide.
In the race for Massachusetts Secretary of State, Bill Galvin was elected to an eighth term.
Galvin, a Democrat, garnered more than 81 percent of the ballot in Boston, or 136, 234 ballots cast, as his Republican challenger, Rayla Campbell, trailed with just over 14 percent of the ballot, or 23,626 votes cast citywide. Finishing third in the race was Juan Sanchez, a Green-Rainbow Party candidate who received less than 5 percent of the ballot in Boston, or 7,783 votes citywide.
On Ballot Question #1 , nearly 65 percent of Boston’s registered voters, or 107,804 ballots cast citywide, supported an amendment to the Massachusetts constitution that would impose an additional 4-percent state income tax on any portion of annual taxable income in excess of $1 million. In contrast, just over 35 percent of Boston’s registered voters cast a total of 58,725 ballots citywide in opposition to the so-called “millionaire’s tax.”
Ballot Question #2, which, according to the state’s election website, “would regulate dental insurance rates, including by requiring companies to spend at least 83 percent of premiums on member dental expenses and quality improvements instead of administrative expenses, and by making other changes to dental insurance regulations,” was supported by nearly 80 percent of Boston’s registered voters who cast 129,849 ballots citywide in support of the proposed measure. Contrastingly, more than 20 percent of Boston voters cast a total of 32,855 ballots citywide in opposition to Ballot Question #2.
Ballot Question #3, which, according to the state’s election website, “would increase the statewide limits on the combined number of licenses for the sale of alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption (including licenses for “all alcoholic beverages” and for ‘wines and malt beverages’) that any one retailer could own or control: from nine to 12 licenses in 2023; to 15 licenses in 2027; and to 18 licenses in 2031,” was supported by around 54 precent of Boston voters who cast a total of 89,398 ballots citywide in favor of it.
Nearly 46 percent of Boston voters cast 74,975 ballots citywide in opposition to the proposed law, which also, beginning in 2023, would set a maximum number of “all alcoholic beverages” licenses that any one retailer could own or control at seven unless a retailer currently holds more than seven such licenses.
Ballot Question #4, which would keep in place a state law enacted about six months ago and set to go into effect next year that allows Massachusetts residents who can’t provide a Green Card or other proof of U.S. citizenship to obtain a driver’s license, was supported by nearly 71 percent of Boston voters, who cast a total of 114,421 ballots citywide in favor of it. Around 21 percent of Boston voters cast a total of 47,213 ballots citywide in opposition to the ballot question.
Regarding the outcome of the election, District 8 City Councilor Kenzie Bok wrote: “It was an amazing Election Night in Massachusetts, seeing Democratic women elected to all the statewide open seats, and watching our first female and openly lesbian Governor-Elect, Maura Healey, declare victory. I’m especially excited because these are all women whom we’ve witnessed work so hard in the public interest before — Healey as Attorney General, Driscoll as a long-time mayor, Campbell on the City Council with me, and DiZoglio in the State Senate.” Councilor Bok continued, “So it shows you what’s possible when your state has a deep bench of strong female candidates, and I know that these are women who are going to roll up their sleeves and do the work ahead. In the City of Boston we need strong state partnership on so many fronts — from housing to transportation to climate to the opioid epidemic — so I’m really looking forward to building that partnership with these women in the lead.”
Rep, Jay Livingstone was similarly encouraged by the election results.
“Tonight was a great night for Democrats in Massachusetts and locally,” wrote Rep. Livingstone. “Voters locally and across the state embraced great Democratic candidates and firmly rejected Trump supported candidates. I look forward to working with Governor-elect Healey and am excited about the next four years.”
Added Rep. Livingstone: “I’m humbled and honored to be re-elected for another term.”