Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 11/22/2022
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY – The big surprise for the elections Nov. 8 was the turnout, according to Easthampton City Clerk Barbara LaBombard.
“We actually had a good day, a busy day, busier than we expected at the polls,” LaBombard said. “We were all busy all across the state, and I don’t think we expected the turnout.”
In the midterm elections there were no big surprises among town voters for the national and state-level races, LaBombard’s preliminary counts showed, as U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, 8th District Councilor Tara J. Jacobs, and state Sen. John C. Velis won the majority of ballots in their races. Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan ran unopposed, as did 2nd Hampshire District state Rep. Daniel R. Carey. Sheriff Patrick J. Cahillane received 76 percent of the vote to earn reelection.
The ballot questions may have drawn voters for a midterm election, LaBombard said.
“In Easthampton Question 3 was pretty close,” LaBombard said. “Some precincts almost the same, yes versus no.”
Results continued to come in, and if postmarked by Nov. 8 were counted until Nov. 14.
Ballots also continued to come in after election day in the town of Southampton. Luci Dalton, town clerk, also found the turnout heavy.
“People said it was crowded in here, but we tried to do the best we could,” Dalton said. “This was our first big election. The primary went well [but] this time I think people were a little upset that it was so crowded.”
Dalton’s election crew dealt with a number of significant changes, including new voting machines. A few paper jams were the only difficulties with the new equipment. Voting was carried out in the senior center, which may have been a little tight for the circumstances.
“We had 10 booths open,” Dalton said, “and we had two precincts, and the senior center is small. So we had to accommodate for everybody to come in, vote, and exit out the door to go into the parking lot.”
About 40 people met delays when they came to vote and learned they weren’t registered. According to Dalton, they didn’t return the census questionnaire sent in the mail.
“It’s very very important that you send your census back,” Dalton said. “If you don’t return it you end up on an inactive list.”
Those voters had to sign a form to vote. Dalton reported that of 4,625 registered voters over 3,100 cast ballots, about two-thirds of the total pool in Southampton, a strong showing for a mid-term vote.
In Southampton, Maura Healey won for governor, Andrea Campbell for attorney general, Galvin repeats as secretary of state, while Deborah Goldberg and Anthony Amore won for treasurer and auditor, respectively. Velis retained his seat, as did Neal. Sullivan won as district attorney. Fourth Hampden District state Rep. Kelly Pease won reelection in a town that will be added to his district in January 2023 due to redistricting, while Cahillane won for sheriff.
Ballot Question 1, establishing a 4 percent tax on income over $1. million, known as the Millionaire’s Tax, was strongly preferred by voters, 2,109 to 1,585. Question 2, involving dental plan regulations, saw 2,014 votes in favor vs. 1,539 against. Ballot Question 3 was defeated in Southampton, 1,937 vs. 1,092. The fourth ballot question would have upheld the low enabling immigrants lacking legal status to obtain a drivers license. That question was defeated 1,733 to 1,952.
In Westhampton, the showing didn’t surprise Town Clerk Katrin Kaminsky.
“There was good turnout, for sure, but that shouldn’t be a surprise,” Kaminsky, who also works as Worthington’s town clerk, said. “Both towns I work in generally have good turnout.”
Of 1,338 registered Southampton voters, 974 cast ballots. Healey, Francis Galvin, Congressman James P. McGovern, Paul Mark and 1st Hampshire District state Rep. Lindsey Sabadosa all won re-election or a new seat. Diana DiZoglio drew 514 votes to Amore’s 334 in the state auditor race. Goldberg also ran well with 678 votes versus 193 for Libertarian candidate Cristina Crawford.
Among the ballot questions, Southampton votes voted in favor of Question 1, Question 2, and Question 4,. Question 3, as was Question 5, a non-binding question which involved a carbon cash back program. That question lost by 10 votes, 441 versus 431, with 102 ballots left blank.
Kaminsky sounded a cautionary note for those people who only vote every two or four years, who believe they were registered to vote at the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Apparently, some voters who showed up this year were not on the list of active voters.
“After COVID[-19], there were people who swore that they’d [registered] at the Registry of Motor Vehicles,” Kaminsky said. “A few people showed up thinking they had done this, quite some time ago, but they weren’t on the list.”
Kaminsky wasn’t inclined to blame the RMV, but voters should confirm they are registered before an election to prevent delays at the ballot box.