Boston Votes: 2009 Council At-Large

Overview

Tuesday's election gave the Boston City Council two fresh faces alongside two incumbents. With the departure of Councilors Flaherty & Yoon, who gave up their seats for unsuccessful runs for the mayoralty (and deputy mayoralty?), a talented and diverse field emerged after the September preliminary election. In that race, incumbent Councilor John Connolly topped the ticket, followed by his colleague Steve Murphy. First-time candidates Felix Arroyo and Ayanna Pressley would round out the September top four. These results would remain the same after Tuesday's balloting. The only difference would stem from those candidates who found themselves in positions four through eight.

Murph misses ticket-topping bragging rights by just over 300 votes.

All victorious candidates were able to grow their numbers in the final election dramatically. Freshman Connolly was able to defend his spot as the ticket-topper by receiving 51,308 votes. However, veteran Murphy, who came in second place (5,000 votes behind) in the preliminary election, narrowed the gap considerably. On Tuesday, Murph finished a solid second with 50,962 votes. Arroyo, who will become the second Latino on the council (the first being his namesake) again place third with 45,099 votes. Pressley, the first woman of color to serve on the council (and doubler of the council's overall female population), rounded out the victory circle with a fourth place win from 41,847 votes.

Finishing fifth with 30,173 votes was Tito Jackson (quick story: Tito, an old friend, asked me to record a robo-call on his behalf. I happily obliged and recorded it last week. The day before the election, my cell phone rang. "Hi, Matt O'Malley." I answered. The voice on the other end replied: "Hi, this is Matt O'Malley..." It was spooky).

Andy Kenneally fell from a fifth place preliminary to a sixth place finish in Tuesdays election with 24,215 votes. Tomas Gonzalez moved up a bit from an eighth place preliminary to a seventh place finish on Tuesday with 18,297 votes. And Doug Bennett rounded out the field in eighth place (after coming in a surprising seventh in the preliminary election) with 16,817 votes.

Best and Worst

John Connolly won five wards outright (1, 2, 3, 5 ,and 20). He placed second in eight wards (6, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 21, and 22) and showed third in two wards (4 & 18). He did not come in fourth in any ward, however he did place sixth (his worst showing) in Ward 12.

Steve Murphy won seven wards outright (6, 7, 13, 16, 18, 21, and 22). He placed in five wards (1, 2, 3, 5, and 20). He did not show in any ward and came in fourth in seven wards (4, 8, 9, 14, 15, 17, and 19). His worst showing was in Ward 11, where he placed 6th.

Felix Arroyo won five wards outright (8, 9, 10, 11, and 19). He placed in three wards (4, 15, and 18) and showed in seven wards (3, 12, 13, 14, 17, 21, and 22). He came in fourth place in four wards (1, 2, 5, and 20). His worst showing was his fifth place finishes in wards 6, 7, and 16.

Ayanna Pressley won two wards outright (4 and 17). She placed in three wards (11, 12, and 14) and showed in seven wards (5, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, and 19). She came in fourth place in five wards (3, 13, 18, 21, and 22). Her worst showing was her sixth place finishes in Wards 1, 2, 6, and 7.

Tito Jackson won three wards outright (12, 14, and 15). He placed in three wards (8, 9, and 17) and showed in one ward (11). He came in fourth place in one ward, as well (10). His worst showing was his eighth place finish in Ward 1.

Andy Kenneally did not come in first or second in any ward. His best showing was his third place finishes in five wards (1, 2, 6, 7, and 20). He came in fourth in one ward (16). His worst showing was his eighth place finishes in four wards (4, 9, 12, and 14).

Tomas Gonzalez did not come in first, second, or third in any ward. He came in fourth place in one ward (11). His worst showing was his eighth place finishes in nine wards (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 16, 20, 21, and 22).

Doug Bennett did not come in first, second, or third in any ward. He came in fourth place in two wards (6 and 7). His worst showing was his eighth place finishes in eight wards (8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, and 19).

Curiouser and Curiouser

Interestingly, no ward produced an order of finish that mirrored the citywide average.

A quick note from an also-ran

Great job to the bottom four finishers. You all added class and character to the race and we Bostonians are better off for your running. You all did yourselves, you families, and this city proud by standing for election. You should all do it again sometime! (Particularly you, Tito Jackson, whose strong numbers in communities of color show that you would absolutely be a powerful contender for the District 7 seat currently held by embattled Councilor Chuck Turner).

Ward-by Ward Analysis

Ward 1 (East Boston)
*Home ward of Andrew Kenneally
Connolly, 2290 votes
Murphy, 2249
Kenneally, 2117
Arroyo, 1427
Bennett, 918
Pressley, 729
Gonzalez, 697
Jackson, 519

Ward 2 (Charlestown)
Connolly, 2557 votes
Murphy, 2138
Kenneally, 1177
Arroyo, 1148
Bennett, 1080
Pressley, 951
Jackson, 503
Gonzalez, 348

Ward 3 (North End/Chinatown/Downtown)
*Home ward of Doug Bennett
Connolly, 2903 votes
Murphy, 2597
Arroyo, 2158
Pressley, 2008
Bennett, 1389
Kenneally, 1115
Jackson, 1069
Gonzalez, 829

Ward 4 (Fenway)
Pressley, 1767 votes
Arroyo, 1734
Connolly, 1609
Murphy, 1531
Jackson, 1126
Gonzalez, 515
Bennett, 503
Kenneally, 423

Ward 5 (Back Bay/Beacon Hill)
Connolly, 2808 votes
Murphy, 2590
Pressley, 2322
Arroyo, 2135
Jackson, 1190
Bennett, 1004
Kenneally, 717
Gonzalez, 615

Ward 6 (South Boston)
Murphy, 3134 votes
Connolly, 2972
Kenneally, 2157
Bennett, 1577
Arroyo, 1017
Pressley, 920
Jackson, 437
Gonzalez, 416

Ward 7 (South Boston)
Murphy, 2831 votes
Connolly 2443
Kenneally, 1722
Bennett, 1190
Arroyo, 1141
Pressley, 936
Jackson, 603
Gonzalez, 528

Ward 8 (Roxbury/South Bay)
Arroyo, 827 votes
Jackson, 730
Pressley, 671
Murphy, 556
Connolly, 522
Gonzalez, 326
Kenneally, 166
Bennett, 153

Ward 9 (Roxbury/South End)
Arroyo, 1297 votes
Jackson, 1136
Pressley, 1106
Murphy, 774
Connolly, 695
Gonzalez, 662
Bennett, 240
Kenneally, 178

Ward 10 (Mission Hill/Jamaica Plain)
Arroyo, 1838 votes
Connolly, 1244
Pressley, 1201
Jackson, 1113
Murphy, 1074
Gonzalez, 858
Kenneally, 381
Bennett, 256

Ward 11 (Jamaica Plain/Roxbury)
Arroyo, 2590 votes
Pressley, 1981
Jackson, 1866
Gonzalez, 1285
Connolly, 1266
Murphy, 1094
Kenneally, 327
Bennett, 210

Ward 12 (Roxbury)
*Home ward of Tito Jackson
Jackson, 2077 votes
Pressley, 1887
Arroyo, 1659
Murphy, 750
Gonzalez, 578
Connolly, 499
Bennett, 134
Kenneally, 115

Ward 13 (Dorchester: Savin Hill/Harbor Point/St. William’s)
Murphy, 1657 votes
Connolly, 1525
Arroyo, 1418
Pressley, 1410
Jackson, 1031
Kenneally, 608
Gonzalez, 592
Bennett, 528

Ward 14 (Dorchester: Blue Hill Ave/Columbia Road)
Jackson, 2364 votes
Pressley, 2223
Arroyo, 1971
Murphy, 1220
Connolly, 816
Gonzalez, 735
Bennett, 209
Kenneally, 181

Ward 15 (Dorchester: St. Peter’s/Ronan Park)
Jackson, 1073 votes
Arroyo, 946
Pressley, 918
Murphy, 808
Connolly, 610
Gonzalez, 390
Kenneally, 248
Bennett, 215

Ward 16 (Dorchester: St. Brendan’s/St. Ann’s/St. Mark’s)
*Home ward of Ayanna Pressley
Murphy, 3685 votes
Connolly, 3505
Pressley, 2364
Kenneally, 2019
Arroyo, 1769
Bennett, 1229
Jackson, 1079
Gonzalez, 722

Ward 17 (Dorchester: Codman Square/Lower Mills/St. Greg’s)
Pressley, 2674 votes
Jackson, 2236
Arroyo, 2201
Murphy, 1811
Connolly, 1638
Gonzalez, 887
Kenneally, 475
Bennett, 355

Ward 18 (Hyde Park/Mattapan/Readville)
*Home ward of Steve Murphy & Tomas Gonzalez
Murphy, 6319 votes
Arroyo, 5715
Connolly, 5415
Pressley, 5197
Jackson, 3948
Gonzalez, 3199
Kenneally, 2075
Bennett, 1334

Ward 19 (Jamaica Plain/Roslindale)
*Home ward of Felix Arroyo
Arroyo, 4183 votes
Connolly, 3251
Pressley, 3165
Murphy, 2449
Jackson, 1988
Gonzalez, 1633
Kenneally, 1032
Bennett, 599

Ward 20 (West Roxbury/Roslindale)
*Home ward of John Connolly
Connolly, 8076 votes
Murphy, 6870
Kenneally, 5234
Arroyo, 4108
Pressley, 3856
Jackson, 2599
Bennett, 2514
Gonzalez, 1538

Ward 21 (Allston)
Murphy, 2241 votes
Connolly, 2192
Arroyo, 2132
Pressley, 1997
Jackson, 708
Kenneally, 627
Bennett, 515
Gonzalez, 504

Ward 22 (Brighton)
Murphy, 2584 votes
Connolly, 2472
Arroyo, 1685
Pressley, 1544
Kenneally, 1121
Jackson, 778
Bennett, 665
Gonzalez, 440