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Date: 11/16/2022
WEST SPRINGFIELD – Although Democrats swept statewide races on Nov. 8, West Springfield gave some support to the GOP.
Voters in town backed unsuccessful Republican candidates Anthony Amore, for state auditor, and John Comerford, for Governor’s Council. In other statewide and district races, West Springfield voted Democratic.
Governor and lieutenant governor: Statewide, the Democratic ticket of Maura Healey and Kim Driscoll won, with about 63 percent of the vote. The Republican team of Geoff Diehl and Leah Allen had 35 percent of the vote, and Libertarian candidates Kevin Reed and Peter Everett took under 2 percent. West Springfield gave Healey almost 52 percent of its vote, versus 47 percent for Diehl.
Attorney general: Democrat Andrea Campbell was the statewide winner with about 62 percent of the vote, with Republican James McMahon under 38 percent. Campbell was the choice of just over 51 percent in West Springfield.
Secretary of state: Incumbent Democrat William Galvin took just under 68 percent of the state’s vote, compared with just under 30 percent for Republican Rayla Campbell and under 3 percent for Green-Rainbow Party candidate Juan Sanchez. Galvin was favored by nearly 57 percent of West Springfield voters.
Treasurer: Incumbent Democrat Deborah Goldberg sailed to victory with nearly 77 percent of the statewide vote. Her only opponent was Libertarian Cristina Crawford, with about 23 percent. Goldberg won a slightly narrower but still strong victory in West Springfield, taking 71 percent of the vote.
Auditor: In a five-way race, Democrat Diana DiZoglio took almost 55 percent of the state vote, with Republican Anthony Amore at 38 percent, and Green-Rainbow Party candidate Gloria Caballero-Roca, Workers Party candidate Dominic Giannone and Libertarian Daniel Riek all between 2 and 3 percent. Amore took first place locally, however, with 47 percent support in West Springfield.
Question 1: The proposal to add a 4 percent additional tax on incomes over $1 million passed narrowly statewide, with 52 percent voting “yes.” Local voters said “no,” however, with 52 percent in West Springfield opposing it.
Question 2: Statewide voters largely agreed with a proposed cap on what percentage of dental insurance premiums can be used on administrative expenses, giving it a 71 percent “yes” vote. West Springfield voted 63 percent in favor.
Question 3: A proposal to change the limits on how many liquor retail licenses a company can hold was defeated statewide, with 55 percent voting “no.” The negative vote was stronger locally, at 65 percent in West Springfield.
Question 4: Massachusetts voters agreed to uphold a state law that allows people without legal residency status to receive driver’s licenses, with nearly 54 percent voting “yes.” Local voters opposed the law, with nearly 60 percent voting “no” in West Springfield.
Local Question: More than three-quarters of West Springfield voters endorsed a local ballot proposal to establish a municipal light plant in town. The planned light plant is a town-owned utility that will manage the proposed municipal fiber-optic network. Despite its name, it is not intended to enter the power generation or electric distribution business.
Congress: Incumbent U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, a Democrat, took nearly 62 percent of the vote in his district, defeating Republican challenger Dean Martilli. Neal won by a closer margin in Martilli’s hometown of West Springfield, where the incumbent got 54 percent.
Governor’s Council: In an open-seat election in a district covering most of Western Massachusetts, Democrat Tara Jacobs polled over 62 percent of the vote to defeat Republican John Comerford. Jacobs got just over 50 percent of the vote in West Springfield.
State Senate: Incumbent Democratic state Sen. John Velis defeated Republican challenger Cecilia Calabrese by a two-to-one margin in his nine-town district. It was closer locally, with Velis taking 61 percent of the vote in West Springfield.
Uncontested: State Rep. Michael Finn, a Democrat whose district includes West Springfield and Precinct 1 of Agawam, had no opponent on this year’s ballot. Also on local ballots, District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi, both Democrats, were reelected without opposition.