How Needham Voted in the State Primary

The local results of Thursday’s State Primary mirrored statewide numbers as Needham and Massachusetts voters alike chose Democrat Joe Kennedy III and Republican Sean Bielat in the race for Congressman Barney Frank’s Fourth District seat in the Nov. 6 election.

In Needham, Kennedy won the Democratic nomination with 2,126 votes, easily beating opponents Rachel Brown (110) and Herb Robinson (88). Bielat took the Republican nod in Needham, with 734 votes over opponents Elizabeth Childs (196) and David Steinhof (42).

Needham residents also voted with the statewide trend in the contested Democratic race for Second District Governor’s Council.

Democrat Robert Jubinville took the most votes in Needham—632— followed by Brian Clinton (479), Bart Timilty (377) and Patrick McCabe (212). In the Republican race for Governor's Council, Earl Sholley ran uncontested and received 643 votes in Needham.

In the county commissioner race, Democrat Francis O’Brien took the most votes in Needham, with 1,430, followed by opponent John Gillis, with 1,142. There were no nominations for the Republican Party. Statewide results in the Norfolk County commissioner race were not available Thursday evening.

In the state legislature races, Needham’s representatives were unopposed.

Needham resident Denise Garlick, a Democrat, will keep her seat as 13th Norfolk District state representative. The town’s two state senators—Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex Senator Richard Ross, a Republican, and Norfolk and Suffolk District Senator Michael Rush, a Democrat, will also retain their seats. (Previously part of one senatorial district, Needham was split following the 2010 Federal Census. Precincts A-C, I and J are now part of the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District, while precincts D-H are part of Norfolk and Suffolk District.)

Voter turnout

Voter turnout in Needham was at about 15 percent in the State Primary. Of the town’s 20,778 voters (which includes 1,029 inactive), 3,427 ballots were cast—a turnout of about 17 percent of the active voters in Needham. Of those who voted on Thursday, 2,400 were Democrats, 1,025 were Republican and 2 voted with the Green-Rainbow Party.

Comparatively, about 35 percent of Needham voters turned out for the last State Primary, in 2010, Town Clerk Tedi Eaton said.

Poll workers ran into just one real problem during the day, when the memory card stopped working in the ballot box at Precinct H (). Workers collected ballots in a temporary container (about 76 total) while Eaton contacted the vendor and worked to reformat the memory card. The ballots were later run through the system and counted digitally.

“They’ve all been counted,” Eaton promised.

Needham residents requested 459 absentee ballots for the 2012 State Primary, although 116 of those ballots were never returned, Eaton said.

“I think part of that was because college students were going back to school and they wanted to put in the application for the November election, so they included the State Primary also,” she said. “We have over 500 [absentee ballots requested] so far for the November election, and they’re coming in fast and furious.”

Eaton said she anticipates a much higher turnout in November, with the Presidential election.

In addition, local voters will be choosing between Democrat Elizabeth Warren and Republican incumbent Scott Brown for Massachusetts' U.S. Senate seat. And residents will likely see a ballot question about in Needham, along with statewide initiatives.

Supporters speak

There was a smaller presence outside the polling locations in Needham than in past elections, but most sites had at least one supporter holding a sign for their candidate.

At Broadmeadow Elementary School, precincts G and H, Selectman Dan Matthews had been holding Kennedy signs since 7 a.m. and was still waving to passing vehicles at around 2 p.m. He said he felt there had been a “steady stream of people” voting.

“It’s not like the 90 percent that you would expect in November, but it’s a good number,” he said.

Matthews said Kennedy had visited Broadmeadow at around 8:30 a.m.

“I think he’s a terrific candidate. He’d be a great Congressman for us,” Matthews said of Kennedy. “I think that this is an election in which we’ve got to make some major decisions about what direction to take the country in. I think the President is on the right track, and I know that Joe will help him and will be a good voice for us.”

Across the way, Needham resident Kathy Fitzgerald had just arrived to hold signs for Bielat.

“I’m holding signs for Sean because I believe in everything that Sean stands for, and I feel that this is the way I can do my part and contribute to the process,” she said.

Over at , precincts A and B, Needham resident Megan McQuivey and her children JB, Soren and Lachlan came to hold signs for Childs after school let out.

“I met Elizabeth Childs at the Needham fireworks. I had already heard a robo-call of hers and was impressed with her—and who gets impressed by robo-calls? Then I met her in person,” McQuivey said. “So I volunteered to host a lawn sign and then to hold signs. This is the first time we’ve ever been politically active as a family, and I thought it would be good to bring the kids and let them experience it. We’re going out for ice cream afterwards.”

Complete local results

Below are the complete State Primary results for the Democratic Party from all 10 Needham precincts. Totals include computer and hand counts together. In contested races, winners are denoted by an asterisk (*).

Democratic Party results

Below are the complete State Primary results for the Republican Party from all 10 Needham precincts:

Republican Party results