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Date: 11/16/2022
AGAWAM – Although Democrats swept statewide races on Nov. 8, Agawam most of its support to the GOP.
The town voted to reelect four Democrats, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, Secretary of State William Galvin, Treasurer Deborah Goldberg and state Sen. John Velis, and provided a large part of Republican state Rep. Nicholas Boldyga’s majority for reelection. Elsewhere on the ballot, Agawam was out of step with Massachusetts and Western Mass. as a whole, voting for Republicans who lost their overall races.
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. Agawam went nearly 53 percent for Diehl, against 46 percent for Healey.
Attorney general: Democrat Andrea Campbell was the statewide winner with about 62 percent of the vote, with Republican James McMahon under 38 percent. McMahon won Agawam with 55 percent.
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 52 percent in Agawam.
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 narrower but still strong victory in Agawam, taking 66 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 53 percent in Agawam.
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 57 percent in Agawam 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. Agawam voted 60 percent “yes.”
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 66 percent in Agawam.
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 more than 64 percent voting “no” in Agawam.
Question 5: In Agawam, voters rejected a proposal to lengthen future mayoral terms from two years to four years, which had appeared as Question 5. The proposal – which would have brought Agawam in line with some other local cities with four-year mayoral terms, including Holyoke, Springfield and West Springfield – was defeated by a two-to-three margin.
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 Agawam, with 50 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. Agawam favored Comerford, giving him 57 percent of the vote.
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 52 percent in Calabrese’s hometown of Agawam.
State House: Most of Agawam voted in step with its district, returning Republican state Rep. Nicholas Boldyga to office over Democratic challenger Anthony Russo. Boldyga, who is from Southwick, took nearly 57 percent of the vote in precincts 2-8 of Agawam, defeating Russo in his hometown. State Rep. Michael Finn, a Democrat whose district includes Precinct 1 of Agawam, had no opponent on this year’s ballot.
Also on local and regional ballots on Nov. 8, District Attorney Anthony Gulluni and Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi, both Democrats, were reelected without opposition.