Politics & Government

Less Than 10% Turnout for State Primary Election in Braintree

Officials called the turnout disappointing on Thursday night. Mostly uncontested races may have been the culprit.

Turnout in Braintree for the 2012 State Primary on Thursday , with slightly more than 8 percent of registered voters casting ballots for races such as the 8th Congressional Republican contest and Governor's Council.

"It is one of the lowest turnouts in the history of the Town of Braintree," said Joe Powers, who had forecast that 15 percent of voters would show up to the polls.

"My records don't go back to antiquity, but we do know that back in the day we took it more seriously," he added.

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Of Braintree's 24,393 registered voters, 1,998 cast ballots, not including write-ins and a handful of military ballots, Powers said. More complete results will be available on Friday.

Republican Congressional candidate Joe Selvaggi defeated Matt Temperley 59 percent to 41 percent, according to the Boston Globe. Locally, Selvaggi took 287 Braintree votes, or 54 percent, compared to Temperley's 46 percent.

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Rep. Stephen Lynch, currently holding the 8th Congressional seat, ran uncontested in the Democratic primary. In Braintree he captured 99 percent of 1,184 votes cast.

The four-way contest for the Governor's Council 2nd District went to Robert Jubinville, the Globe reported, with 38 percent. Bart Timilty, though, took the vote in Braintree, with 39 percent to Jubinville's 37 percent. Brian M. Clinton earned 18 percent of the vote in Braintree and Patrick J. McCabe took 5 percent.

Over in the 4th District, Governor's Council candidate Christopher Iannella defeated Stephen Flynn, 68 percent to 32 percent. The margin was slightly closer in Braintree, but Iannella also captured more votes here.

All other Republican, Democrat and Green-Rainbow seats were either uncontested or did not contain any candidates. For longtime Braintree official and Registrar William Dykstra, who has observed elections for 50 years, the many uncontested races was likely one of the main reasons for the low turnout.

"I've never seen one as quiet and dull," Dykstra said.

District 4 Town Councilor Henry Joyce, who was waiting for results outside the clerk's office Thursday night, said, "This is a total disgrace. People should still come out to vote and show that they care."

The General Election is on Nov. 6, 2012, with polling locations open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters must register for that election by Wednesday, Oct. 17. For more information, go to http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleifv/howreg.htm.

For a full run-down of unofficial results in Braintree, go to .


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