Politics & Government

Presidential Primary Results: How Did Needham Vote?

Nearly 80 percent of local Republicans picked Mitt Romney for the nomination; overall, turnout was low, at about 15.3 percent

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While covering 10 precincts, keeping separate and adjusting to recent changes in polling locations kept Needham Town Clerk Tedi Eaton and her staff busy on Tuesday, the polls themselves weren't all that active for Needham.

Just 3,150 voters turned out to vote on Super Tuesday, about 15 percent of those registered in Needham, and a far cry even from the last presidential primary in 2008, when about 11,570 Needhamites voted, according to Eaton. Although, in 2008, both the Republican and Democratic ballots were full as candidates in both parties vied for the presidential nomination. This year, the primary focus was on the Republicans.

With more on the line for their party, 2,300 Needham Republicans showed up to the polls on Tuesday. Meanwhile, 845 Needham Democrats and four residents registered to the Green-Rainbow Party voted as well.

Find out what's happening in Needhamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney easily won his party nomination in Needham, taking 1,837, or nearly 80 percent, of the Republican vote. No other candidate came close to beating Romney in Needham. Rick Santorum came in second with 196 votes (8.5 percent), while Ron Paul came in third in Needham with 134 votes (6 percent).

Though overall turnout was low, Eaton and her staff were busy keeping up with a few issues throughout the day. Having temporarily moved Precincts C and D from to while Newman undergoes renovations, Eaton soon found that the High Rock room was much too small to accommodate both precincts. What made the situation even tricker was that Precinct C was in a different senatorial district than Precinct D and had a different ballot.

Find out what's happening in Needhamwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Precinct C was one set of ballots and D was another set of ballots in the same location, so we had to be really careful and stay on top of things," Eaton said.

The town clerk said she would be looking at changing the arrangement for the town election on April 10.

The March 6 presidential primary also marked the first election after Needham's precinct map was redrawn, changing the boundaries of six of the town's 10 voter precincts.

Despite all the changes, the day went without any major issues, Eaton said.

Results were posted to the town clerk's website at needhamma.gov by about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night.

PRECINCT-BY-PRECINCT RESULTS IN NEEDHAM

Here is a precinct-by-precinct breakdown of how Needham Republicans voted on March 6 in the race for their party's presidential nomination (* denotes the local winner):

REPUBLICAN BALLOT  
Presidential Preference 

Pct. A 

B C D E F G H I J Total  Ron Paul 12
10 
22 
13 
12 
13 
19 
11 
12 
10 
134
Mitt Romney* 135
212 
220 
165 
208 
161 
188 
225 
162 
161 
1,837
Rick Perry 0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
Rick Santorum 17
24
14
16
23
19
26
20
22
15
196
Jon Huntsman 1
4
1
1
1
4
4
2
2
1
21
Michele Bachman 0
0
1
0
1
1
2
0
1
0
6
Newt Gingrich 9
9
6
4
7
6
10
12
11
5
79
No preference 1
0
2
1
0
2
1
1
1
1
5
Write-ins 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 6 Blanks 3 4 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 TOTAL 178
265
269
201
253
206
250
272
211
195
2,300

With President Obama up for a second term, local Democrats had far fewer choices for the presidential nomination. Here's a look at how Dems in each Needham precinct voted:

DEMOCRATIC BALLOT  
Presidential Preference
Pct. A 
B C D E F G H I J Total Barack Obama* 66
75 
52 
83 
73 
91 
86 
73 
78 
67 
748
No preference 4
2
4
4
7
9
8
6
1
5
50
Write-ins 0 1 0 1 2 1 2 3 2 2 14 Blanks 3 5 2 0 5 3 5 4 3 3 33 TOTAL 73
83
61
0
88
87
104
101
84
78
845

Needham also had four residents registered in the Green-Rainbow Party cast their ballots on Tuesday. Here is a look at how their votes break down by precinct:

GREEN-RAINBOW BALLOT  
Presidential Preference
Pct. A B C D E F G H I J Total Kent Mesplay 0
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0
Jill Stein* 0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
Harley Mikkelson 0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
No preference 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Write-ins 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 Blanks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 0
0
0
1
0
1
2
0
0
0
4

In addition to the presidential primary, local voters helped select candidates for the Republican State Committee. Needham is split between two senatorial districts, so there were two separate Republican ballots distributed in the primary. Here is a look at how Republican voters in the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District voted by precinct:

REPUBLICAN BALLOT  
State Committee Man
Norfolk, Bristol & Middlesex District

Pct. A B C I J Total Marc S. Conroy
12 Rosenfeld Rd., Millis 22
31 
29 
25 
34 
141
Carl Nelson*
69 Temple Rd., Wellesley 88
128 
121
92
83
512
Earl H. Sholley
8 Lakeshore Dr., Norfolk 19
26
21
17
21
104
Write-ins 0 0 2 0 1 3 Blanks 49 80 96 77 56 358 TOTAL 178
265
269
211 
195 
1,118
 





State Committee Woman
 Norfolk, Bristol & Middlesex District





Linda K. Jewell
11 Dover Cir., Franklin 49
65
66
39
53
272
Patricia Saint Aubin*
6 Shady Way, Norfolk  65
91
93
77
72
398
Write-ins 0 1 1 0 1 3 Blanks 64 108 108  95 69 445 TOTAL 178
265
269
211
195
1,118

The race for Republican State Committee was uncontested for the Norfolk and Suffolk District. Here's how Needham residents in those precincts voted:

REPUBLICAN BALLOT  
State Committee Man
Norfolk & Suffolk District

Pct. D E F G H Total Brad Williams*
29 Furbush Rd., Boston 123
132 
117 
134 
135 
641
Write-ins 0 0 0 1 3 4 Blanks 78 120 89 115 134 536 TOTAL 201
253
206
250
272
1,181
 





State Committee Woman
Norfolk & Suffolk District







Patricia E. Barrett*
44 Sycamore St., Norwood

0
1
0
0
0
1
Write-ins 0 0 0 1 1 2 Blanks 77 123 84 111 131 526

TOTAL

201
253
206
250
272
1,181

All 33 Needham residents vying for a spot on the Needham Republican Town Committee were selected (out of 35 available spots). In addition, all 35 Needham residents running for seats on the Democratic Town Committee won their spots (out of 35 available spots).

Needham Democrats also helped select individuals to represent their party on the State Committee. The position was uncontested for the Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex District. Votes in those precincts were as follows:

DEMOCRATIC BALLOT  
State Committee Man
Norfolk, Bristol & Middlesex District Pct. A B C I J Total Bill Bowles*
29 Terry Dr., Attleboro 54
59
43
50
49
255
Write-ins 0 0 0 1 0 1 Blanks 19 24 17 33 29 122 TOTAL 73 83 61 84  78  379






State Committee Woman
Norfolk, Bristol & Middlesex District





Ellen L. Parker*
65 Norgate Rd., Attleboro 56
59
45
54
53
265
Write-ins 0 0 0 0 0 0 Blanks 17 24 15 30 25 111 TOTAL 73
83
61
84
78
379

In the Norfolk & Suffolk District, two men were vying for a spot on the Democratic State Committee. The woman's seat was uncontested. Here's how the votes came in:

DEMOCRATIC BALLOT  
State Committee Man
Norfolk & Suffolk District
Pct. D
E
F
G
H
 Total
Daniel R. Settana
10 Stratford St., Boston
21
18 
19 
20 
23 
101
Thomas Joseph Holloway*
1 Taylor Ln., Dover
35
31
36
38
34
174
Wayne J. Wilson Jr.
31 Lindall St., Boston
8
1
9
7
5
28
Write-ins
0
1
0
0
0
1
Blanks 0 23 37 40 36 160 TOTAL 88 87 104 101 86 466






State Committee Woman
Norfolk & Suffolk District





Judith A. Settana*
10 Stratford St., Boston 53 40 68 60 50 271 Write-ins 1 0 0 0 1 2 Blanks 34 47 36 41 35 193 TOTAL 88 87 104 101 86 466

Precinct totals provided by the Needham Town Clerk's Office.

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