Markey to Return to U.S. Senate, Lynch Wins Eighth District in Preliminary Election Results

Americans across the country took to the polls on November 3 amidst an ongoing pandemic and several months of social unrest to cast their vote for the next leaders of the United States.

Over 100 million Americans voted prior to Election Day, either by mail-in ballot or early voting locations, according to The New York Times. In Massachusetts, NBC Boston reports over 2 million people had voted by October 29, 2020.

The seat of U.S. President is yet to be decided, as votes are still being counted in several states. In Massachusetts, mail-in ballots postmarked by November 3 that arrive at the Boston Elections Department by November 6 will be counted. Similar processes are in place across the nation.

President & Vice President of the United States

As of Wednesday morning, Democratic candidate Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris have won the state of Massachusetts, a traditionally blue state. Statewide, Biden & Harris have 2,041,423 MA votes (65.6%) with Trump & Pence receiving 1,013,991 (32.6%). In the City of Boston, Biden/Harris have 225,368 votes (82.9%) to Trump/Pence’s 42,707 (15.7%).

United States Senate

In the Senate, incumbent Edward Markey (D) beat Kevin O’Connor (R) for the one seat up for election. In the City of Boston, Markey received 220,778 votes (82.76%) to O’Connor’s 44,783 (16.79%). Statewide, Markey has 66.3% of the vote. Markey will continue to serve along with Elizabeth Warren, whose term is through 2025.

United States House of Representatives

In the U.S. House of Representatives, Massachusetts has nine seats, divided by district. The North End/Waterfront is part of the Eighth Congressional District, which encompasses parts of Boston, all of Quincy and Brockton, as well as a number of towns on the South Shore and southwest of Boston.

In the race for the Eighth District, current Representative Stephen Lynch (D) received 61,310 (84.19%) votes, defeating Jonathan Lott who had 10,719 (14.72%).

Here are the results for the remaining MA Congressional Districts:

• 1st District: Longtime incumbent Rep. Richard Neal (D) (unopposed)
• 2nd District: James McGovern (D, incumbent) received 65.6% of the vote, defeating Tracy Lovvorn (R)
• 3rd District: Lori Trahan (D) (unopposed)
• 4th District: Jake Auchincloss (D) with 61.6% defeated Julie Hall (R)
• 5th District: Katherine Clark (D, incumbent) received 73.2% over Caroline Colarusso (R)
• 6th District: Seth Moulton (D, incumbent) won 65% of the vote over John Paul Moran (R)
• 7th District: Ayanna S. Pressley (D, incumbent) received 87.15% over Roy A. Owens, Sr. (Independent).
• 8th District (North End/Waterfront): Lynch (84.19%) ; Lott (14.72%)
• 9th District: Bill Keating (D, incumbent) won the seat with 61.6%, beating out Helen Brady (R) and Michael Manley (other)

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Current State Senator Joseph Boncore (D), representing First Suffolk & Middlesex Districts, was unopposed on the ballot. Current State Representative Aaron Michlewitz (D), representing the Third Suffolk District, was also unopposed.

In the race for Governor’s Council, current Councilor for the Sixth District Terrence Kennedy (D) was unopposed.

For Register of Probate for Suffolk County, Current Register Felix Arroyo (D) received 169,780 votes (76.77%), defeating Althea Garrison (Independent) who had 25,826 votes (11.68%) and Melissa Tyler (Independent) who had 24,268 votes (10.97%).

Questions on the Massachusetts Ballot

Question 1: This proposed law would require that motor vehicle owners and independent repair facilities be provided with expanded access to mechanical data related to vehicle maintenance and repair.

Voters primarily supported this change with 75% voting yes on question 1. A yes vote will provide motor vehicle owners and independent repair facilities with expanded access to wirelessly transmitted mechanical data related to their vehicles’ maintenance and repair.

Question 2: This proposed law would implement a voting system known as ‘ranked-choice voting,’ in which voters rank one or more candidates by order of preference.

The results on this question went back and forth, but now the votes show a “No” on question 2 with 54.7% of voters opposed.

A yes vote would have create a system of ranked-choice voting in which voters would have the option to rank candidates in order of preference and votes would be counted in rounds, eliminating candidates with the lowest votes until one candidate has received a majority. 

Interesting to note, Boston voters swayed toward yes on this question, with 155,123 Boston residents voting yes (61.7%) over 96,264 votes for no (38.3%)

Read more on the City of Boston’s election results page and follow the race for U.S. President on the Boston Globe.