1983 Boston City Council election

1983 Boston City Council election
November 15, 1983

Boston City Council elections were held on November 15, 1983, with preliminary elections on October 11, 1983.[1] This election transitioned the Council from having 9 members (all at-large) to having 13 members (9 district representatives and 4 at-large). All 13 seats were contested in both the preliminary and general election.

Incumbents

Each of the nine incumbent at-large councillors ran for Boston public office.

Name Position contested for Result
Bruce Bolling Councillor, District 7 won
Raymond Flynn Mayor of Boston won
Maura Hennigan Councillor, District 6 won
Christopher A. Iannella Councillor at-large elected
Frederick C. Langone Mayor of Boston lost, 6th
Michael J. McCormack Councillor at-large elected
Terence P. McDermott Councillor at-large lost, 5th
Dapper O'Neil Councillor at-large elected
Joseph M. Tierney Councillor at-large elected

At-large

In the preliminary election, ten names appeared on the ballot, with voters able to choose four; the top eight vote-getters then appeared on the ballot in the general election.[2]

Voters in the general election could select four of the eight final candidates; Councillors McCormack, Iannella, Tierney, and O'Neil received the most votes, so were re-elected and filled the four at-large seats, while Councillor McDermott finished fifth and was not re-elected.

Candidates[3] Preliminary election[4][5] General election[6]
Votes % Votes %
Michael J. McCormack (incumbent) 52,315 12.3 87,143 16.0
Christopher A. Iannella (incumbent) 66,647 15.6 85,204 15.7
Joseph M. Tierney (incumbent) 62,850 14.7 82,600 15.2
Dapper O'Neil (incumbent) 64,410 15.1 79,086 14.6
Terence P. McDermott (incumbent) 61,436 14.4 77,096 14.2
Jean Sullivan McKeigue 48,265 11.3 73,064 13.4
Willie Mae Allen 21,369 5.0 32,556 6.0
Althea Garrison 19,908 4.7 26,564 4.9
Joseph Mirisola 14,914 3.5  
Leslie F. Payne 14,199 3.3  

District 1

Robert Travaglini was elected.

Candidates[3][7] Preliminary election[8] General election[6]
Votes % Votes %
Robert Travaglini 5,001 26.8 11,663 53.0
Diane J. Modica 3,704 19.9 10,343 47.0
Robert M. Cappucci 3,444 18.5  
Michael J. Reardon 3,081 16.5  
Joseph V. Cinseruli 1,999 10.7  
Neil P. Brennan 773 4.1  
Joseph Sablone 372 2.0  
Carl J. Salvi Jr. 272 1.5  

District 2

James M. Kelly was elected.

Candidates[3] Preliminary election[9] General election[6]
Votes % Votes %
James M. Kelly 8,615 41.9 11,815 51.7
Michael Taylor 6,284 30.5 11,026 48.3
Christopher F. Hayes 4,400 21.4  
William P. Foley 718 3.5  
Stephen M. Palmer 281 1.4  
Ali J. Fiumedoro 272 1.3  

District 3

James E. Byrne was elected.

Candidates[3] Preliminary election[10] General election[6]
Votes % Votes %
James E. Byrne 5,231 25.7 11,544 50.5
John E. Garland 5,319 26.2 11,295 49.5
Stephen M. Cidlevich 3,944 19.4  
Richard Livingston 2,339 11.5  
Carol Nee Geyer 2,145 10.6  
Walter R. Campbell 997 4.9  
Debra Gelber 347 1.7  

District 4

Charles Yancey was elected.

Candidates[3] Preliminary election[11] General election[6]
Votes % Votes %
Charles Yancey 4,239 18.47 7,898 51.7
Bill Owens Jr. 4,405 17.21 7,364 48.07
Gerald Anderson 1,889 14.4  
Locksley H. Bryan 980 7.5  
Benjamin F. Thompson 601 4.6  
Carter D. Kimbrel 469 3.6  
Bobby J. Wallace 254 1.9  
Arthur Williams 241 1.8  

District 5

Thomas Menino was elected.

Candidates[3] Preliminary election[12] General election[6]
Votes % Votes %
Thomas Menino 11,375 57.8 17,554 74.7
Richard E. Kenney 3,126 15.9 5,945 25.3
William G. Broderick 3,123 15.9  
Robert MacGregor 1,124 5.7  
Constance L. Brown 467 2.4  
George L. Richmond 461 2.3  

District 6

At-large councillor Maura Hennigan was elected.

Candidates[3] Preliminary election[13] General election[6]
Votes % Votes %
Maura Hennigan (at-large incumbent) 10,772 52.6 14,390 59.8
Francis X. Coppinger 6,557 32.0 9,654 40.2
Edmund McNamara 3139 15.3  

District 7

At-large councillor Bruce Bolling was elected.

Candidates[3] Preliminary election[14] General election[6]
Votes % Votes %
Bruce Bolling (at-large incumbent) 7,556 59.1 9,049 63.9
Elizabeth "Betty" Jones 1,907 14.9 5,121 36.1
Ben Haith 1,315 10.3  
Roy A. Owens 1.146 9.0  
Steven A. Wise 567 4.4  
James Joseph 302 2.4  

District 8

David Scondras was elected, becoming the first openly gay Boston City Council member.[15]

Candidates[3] Preliminary election[16] General election[6]
Votes % Votes %
David Scondras 3,720 30.6 7,207 50.4
Mark Roosevelt 4,136 34.0 7,104 49.6
Dennis A. Quilty 3,150 25.9  
Eugenie Beal 1,165 9.6  

District 9

Brian J. McLaughlin was elected.

Candidates[3] Preliminary election[17] General election[6]
Votes % Votes %
Brian J. McLaughlin 2,969 20.5 9,071 53.8
Helene Solomon 3,470 24.0 7,782 46.2
Richard M. Izzo 2,489 17.2  
John F. Melia 2,456 17.0  
Joseph H. Hogan Jr. 1,451 10.0  
Jerome P. MacDonald 917 7.3  
George Franklin 534 3.7  
Jean Farrell 162 1.1  

See also

References

  1. ^ Black, Chris; Kenney, Charles (August 19, 1983). "NEW DATES SET FOR BOSTON ELECTIONS". The Boston Globe. Retrieved February 21, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  2. ^ "THE BOSTON PRELIMINARY BALLOT". The Boston Globe. October 4, 1983. Retrieved February 21, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Candidates As They Appear On The Ballot". The Boston Globe. October 10, 1983. Retrieved February 22, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  4. ^ "Final Results of Boston Preliminary Election For Councilor At-Large; 2 Years". The Boston Globe. October 12, 1983. Retrieved February 21, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  5. ^ "5 Incumbents Top At-Large Council Race". The Boston Globe. October 12, 1983. Retrieved February 21, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Boston Election Reslts". The Boston Globe. November 16, 1983. Retrieved February 21, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  7. ^ "Boston's Voting Districts; District 1: Similar People, Similar Problems". The Boston Globe. September 5, 1983. Retrieved February 22, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  8. ^ "Final Results of Boston Preliminary Elections: District 1". The Boston Globe. October 12, 1983. Retrieved February 21, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  9. ^ "Final Results of Boston Preliminary Election: District 2". The Boston Globe. October 12, 1983. Retrieved February 21, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  10. ^ "Final Results of Boston Preliminary Election: District 3". The Boston Globe. October 12, 1983. Retrieved February 21, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  11. ^ "Final Results of Boston Preliminary Elections: District 4". The Boston Globe. October 12, 1983. Retrieved February 22, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  12. ^ "Final Election Results of Boston Preliminary Elections: District 5". The Boston Globe. October 12, 1983. Retrieved February 22, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  13. ^ "Final Results of Boston Preliminary Elections: District 6". The Boston Globe. October 12, 1983. Retrieved February 22, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  14. ^ "Final Results of Boston Preliminary Elections: District 7". The Boston Globe. October 12, 1983. Retrieved February 22, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  15. ^ Krone, Mark (October 10, 2013). "Boston Mayor's Race: Then and Now". bostonspiritmagazine.com. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  16. ^ "Final Results of Boston Preliminary Elections: District 8". The Boston Globe. October 12, 1983. Retrieved February 22, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  17. ^ "Final Results of Boston Preliminary Elections: District 9". The Boston Globe. October 12, 1983. Retrieved February 22, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.

Further reading

  • "FOR CITY COUNCIL AT-LARGE". The Boston Globe. September 27, 1983. Retrieved February 21, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  • "FOR DISTRICT CITY COUNCIL". The Boston Globe. September 29, 1983. Retrieved February 21, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  • "Charlestown Patriot and Somerville Chronicle" (PDF). Vol. 26, no. 6. October 6, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2018 – via docdroid.net.
  • "Charlestown Patriot and Somerville Chronicle" (PDF). Vol. 26, no. 11. November 10, 1983. Retrieved February 23, 2018 – via docdroid.net.
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