Mayoral Race Roundup

Mayoral Race Roundup
New Bedford Mayor Trounced By Newcomer

POSTED: 6:06 am EST November 9, 2005
UPDATED: 6:13 am EST November 9, 2005

BOSTON -- The four-term mayor of New Bedford, Mass., was trounced Tuesday by a political newcomer who vowed to take back neighborhoods overrun by drugs and gangs, while sitting mayors were re-elected in Boston, Worcester, Springfield and Lawrence.

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The name of Chicopee's Republican mayor, Richard Goyette, remained on the ballot even though he dropped out of the race after being charged last week with extortion. The only other candidate, Democrat Michael Bissonnette, a lawyer, had 84 percent of the votes to Goyette's 16 percent. Another 891 ballots were submitted blank.

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The mayoral race in Lawrence was marked by a court dispute after thousands of residents were mistakenly placed on inactive voter lists. A federal judge denied a last-minute bid by the American Civil Liberties Union to extend or change Election Day voting hours, and incumbent Michael Sullivan was re-elected with 61 percent of the vote. Challenger Marcos Devers was seeking to become the first Hispanic mayor in Massachusetts.

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In other mayoral races:

- Brockton city councilor James E. Harrington won 56 percent of the vote, while Jass Stewart, a businessman vying to become the city's first openly gay mayor, took 44 percent. Incumbent John T. Yunits Jr. chose not to seek re-election.

- In Worcester, where the title of mayor goes to the top vote getter in the City Council election, incumbent Timothy P. Murray retained the post.

- Attleboro re-elected Mayor Kevin Dumas with 71 percent of the vote to challenger Thomas M. Parker's 29 percent.

- Haverhill Mayor James Fiorentini was re-elected with 81 percent to challenger William Slavit's 19 percent.

- In Newton, incumbent Mayor David B. Cohen was re-elected with 59 percent to challenger Mike Striar's 41 percent.

- Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella beat challenger Peter Angelini.

- Holyoke re-elected Mayor Michael Sullivan with 67 percent to 33 percent for challenger Mark Lubold.

- In Northampton, incumbent Clare Higgins was re-elected with 62 percent of the vote. Her challenger, Richard Feldman, had 38 percent.

- In Amesbury, Thatcher Kezer won with 62 percent of the vote over Thomas Iacobucci, who got 38 percent.

- Newburyport City Clerk John Moak won the mayor's seat with 60 percent of the vote. City Councilor Donna Holaday had 40 percent.

- Fall River Mayor Edward Lambert was re-elected with 61 percent to challenger F. George Jacome's 39 percent.

More:
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/5285011/detail.html