Voters across Massachusetts cast ballots for their local city council, school committee and mayor in this 2023 election. Follow along for updates and results throughout the day.
We’re logging off for the night, but check back in for continued politics coverage in the days and weeks to come.
12:03 a.m. Nov. 8
Unofficial Boston results confirmed what candidates are saying: Enrique Pepén for District 5, John FitzGerald for District 3 and Henry Santana will join the council alongside three incumbent at-large city councilors: Ruthzee Louijeune, Erin Murphy and Julia Mejia. Pepén beat José Ruiz in the bid to replace Ricardo Arroyo, who voters ousted following a series of scandals over the last year. FitzGerald, who had former Mayor Marty Walsh’s backing, bested Joel Richards in the competition to succeed Councilor Frank Baker, who declined to run again for his seat.
All four of Mayor Michelle Wu’s endorsed candidates have made their way into office, which could pave the way for a more harmonious mayor-council relationship next term. Read that and more in Adam Reilly’s analysis here.
10:19 p.m. Nov. 7
Braintree mayoral candidate Erin Joyce declared victory Tuesday night in an upset over Mayor Charles Kokoros.
Kokoros took office in 2020.
10:13 p.m. Nov. 7
Spencer Republican Peter Durant claimed victory in a special state Senate election in central Massachusetts, flipping a seat that’s been held by Democrats for more than five decades.
Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis introduced Durant at his election night party at the Center Tree Bar & Grill in Rutland.
“The Republican party is back, people,” Evangelidis said to a round of applause.
Durant said his opponent, Gardner Democrat Jon Zlotnik, called him to concede Tuesday evening. Both men currently serve in the state House, and Zlotnik will retain his House seat.
— Katie Lannan, reporting from Rutland
10:01 p.m. Nov. 7
All of Worcester’s incumbent city councilors held onto their seats Tuesday, including Mayor Joe Petty, who won his seventh term.
At-Large Councilors Khrystian King, Kate Toomey, Donna Colorio, Morris Bergman and Thu Nguyen all retained their seats. King garnered the second-most votes for mayor behind Petty, according to unofficial city tallies, making him vice chair of Worcester City Council. He’ll be the first Black vice chair in Worcester’s history.
At the district level, District 1 and District 4 are the only two seats with new faces. Jenny Pacillo will succeed Sean Rose as District 1 councilor after Rose decided not to run for reelection, and Luis Ojeda will replace Sarai Rivera as District 4 councilor after Rivera declined to run for reelection. Get the full report here.
— Sam Turken, reporting from Worcester
9:59 p.m. Nov. 7
Acting Revere Mayor Patrick Michael Keefe Jr. won his first full term by a slim margin of just 330 votes over city councilor and former mayor Dan Rizzo according to unofficial results from the city. Keefe had been serving as acting mayor since Brian Arrigo stepped down to serve as commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Results were announced on Revere TV, with Keefe earning 4,852 votes and Rizzo with 4,522 votes.
— Alexi Cohan
9:16 p.m. Nov. 7
Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty claimed victory in his reelection campaign Tuesday night, vying for a seventh term. The mayor, who was first elected in 2011, will have fended off four challengers — including Worcester At-Large City Councilors Khrystian King and Donna Colorio.
Jenny Pacillo, a candidate in Worcester City Council’s District 1, is declaring victory. Pacillo takes over Sean Rose’s District 1 seat after he decided not to run for reelection. She defeated David Peterson.
THANK YOU, Worcester, from the bottom of my heart, for re-electing me to another term as YOUR Mayor and City Councilor At-Large! I look forward to another productive term, working TOGETHER to make Worcester a city where all residents can thrive.#MayorJoePetty pic.twitter.com/zjuSeCv2CW
— Joe Petty (@MayorJoePetty) November 8, 2023
9:04 p.m. Nov. 7
District 6 candidate Ben Weber is declaring victory in his Boston City Council race, where he and William King were vying to replace outgoing Councilor Kendra Lara. Weber was endorsed by Mayor Michelle Wu.
Thank you District 6 voters for your overwhelming support. I am thrilled for the opportunity to serve and represent you to help make Boston a city that works for all of our residents.
— Benjamin Weber (@ben4district6) November 8, 2023
8:54 p.m. Nov. 7
Democrat Gabe Amo defeated Republican Gerry Leonard to win Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District seat Tuesday, becoming the state’s first Black candidate elected to Congress.
Amo, the son of Ghanaian and Liberian immigrants who once worked as a White House aide, succeeds former Democratic Rep. David Cicilline, who stepped down this summer to become president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation. Read AP’s coverage.
8:28 p.m. Nov. 7
Our reporters are out in the field to bring you the latest on the races that will be called tonight. Sam Turken, GBH’s Worcester reporter, is currently at Khrystian King’s event, an at-large city councilor hoping to win the mayoral race.
Turken’s already passed through events for Guillermo Creamer Jr., also a candidate for mayor and at-large city councilor, and District 1 candidate Jenny Pacillo. Read up on the elections that are unfolding in Worcester tonight.
Katie Lannan, GBH’s State House reporter, is in Rutland with state Rep. Peter Durant. He’s the Spencer Republican looking to clinch a state Senate seat in the body’s only special election today. Get the details on the race that could put a fourth Republican in the Senate.
8:00 p.m. Nov. 7
And just like that... polls are closed!
Stand by while we wait for results to trickle in.
As of 6 p.m., about 15% of registered Boston voters had cast a ballot. We’ll tell you those final figures when the city releases them.
5:30 p.m. Nov. 7
T-minus (probably) two and a half hours!
Hitting the polls after your 9-to-5? You’ve got a couple hours left — polls in most Massachusetts communities, like Boston and Worcester, close at 8 p.m.
In at least a few, though, the doors shut at 7 p.m., including Westfield and Methuen. Double check on your municipality’s website, or head over now just to be safe.
2:51 p.m. Nov. 7
In Cambridge, GBH News' Mark Herz spoke to voters at Cambridge City Hall about why they felt it was important to get out to vote today.
"I think that it's very important to be intelligent about politics because it's how we connect with each other, how we understand social organization, how we understand what works or doesn't work within the city," said Barbara Noll. "So it's very important to have that political connection."
She said she believes the biggest issue in Cambridge right now is housing. A sentiment echoed by other residents GBH News spoke with who were heading to the polls.
Cambridge resident Ellis Reid said he knows City Council has a lot of impact on issues that are important to him. While housing is also his top priority, he also said he's interested in climate change.
"There's some other stuff too, around climate justice and making sure that Cambridge can meet some of the goals that it's set out for, you know, reducing its climate impact."
2:34 p.m. Nov. 7
As of noon, Boston voter turnout was 9.3%. This number may not yet include all early ballots cast.
11:07 a.m. Nov. 7
GBH's Mark Herz spoke to poll workers this morning in Everett. One young poll worker at City Hall, Ward 5, 17-year-old Sal DiDomenico said, “I like getting to see people, like democracy, like when everybody comes in, you know, I recognize a lot of people. It's good to see a bunch of people. And after the poll is closed, I go downstairs and wait for the results and it's good to see all that, and get engaged in the community. So it's nice.”
Ruthy Dottyn, in charge of the Ward 3 polling location, and said it’s good to have younger workers taking part.
“Once people are retired and they don't want to do it anymore, we get the younger blood in and, you know, they take over and so they learn the process and, you know, it's a good feeling to do your civic duty as well.”
Another poll worker, Marge Dacko, 90 years old, told GBH News she was, “born on the 4th of July, how American can you get?”
She said she's been working the polls since she was young and has never missed an election since.
“I just love the people, I see my neighbors, I see people I went to school with. It's just nice; I feel it's the American thing to do.”
5:00 p.m. Nov. 6
Tuesday is Election Day. Do you know who you’re voting for? Do you know if you have elections? (There’s 55 communities that do — check here to see if you’re one of them.)
In Boston, City Council seats are up for grabs. Eight candidates are running for the four at-large seats, you can get their opinions on the hottest-button issues facing the council right now in our at-large questionnaire.
Many district-level seats are also contested: with John FitzGerald and Joel Richards facing off in District 3; Enrique Pepén and José Ruiz in District 5; and William King and Ben Weber in District 6.
Visit the city’s website to find your polling location.
In Worcester, this election is the first in more than two decades that all 11 City Council seats — including mayor — have multiple candidates running. Watch GBH’s mayoral debate with all five candidates, or read up on the highlights.
Visit the city’s website to find your polling location.
In central Massachusetts, there’s a state Senate race for the Worcester Hampshire District, formerly held by Anne Gobi. The candidates in that contest are state Reps. Jonathan Zlotnik and Peter Durant.
