I created a table that shows the community, the turnout for the CD5 primary and the turnout OF DEMOCRATIC VOTES for the 2013 Senate primary election. The percentage is the CD5 vote as it relates to the senate vote. I can’t assess whether a high percentage shows a strong effort in CD5 or a lower percentage shows a strong effort in the senate election. Thoughts?
CORRECTION: I took the senate numbers from a table that I had seen on BMG. It was actually Markey votes in the general that were in that table. My error and my apologies. Thank you sco for your comment. I double checked the original article which I am assuming is correct. I can try to get the numbers that I thought I was looking at.
| – – Municipality – – | – – CD5 Turnout — | – – 2013 Senate – – | – – Percentage – – |
| Belmont | 5461 | 4562 | 120% |
| Waltham | 5622 | 5563 | 101% |
| Melrose | 3849 | 3930 | 98% |
| Watertown | 4772 | 4965 | 96% |
| Winthrop | 1442 | 1868 | 77% |
| Arlington | 7301 | 9632 | 76% |
| Ashland | 1257 | 1715 | 73% |
| Revere | 2526 | 3567 | 71% |
| Stoneham | 1893 | 2662 | 71% |
| Medford | 5240 | 7655 | 68% |
| Malden | 3701 | 5888 | 63% |
| Holliston | 1085 | 1736 | 63% |
| Framingham | 4417 | 7078 | 62% |
| Woburn | 2172 | 3491 | 62% |
| Winchester | 2086 | 3432 | 61% |
| Lexington | 4153 | 6877 | 60% |
| Lincoln | 810 | 1386 | 58% |
| Sherborn | 394 | 692 | 57% |
| Natick | 2631 | 4666 | 56% |
| Cambridge | 5347 | 10316 | 52% |
| Wayland | 1188 | 2311 | 51% |
| Weston | 696 | 1545 | 45% |
| Southborough | 434 | 1069 | 40% |
| Sudbury | 1047 | 2719 | 38% |
Please share widely!
It shows “townie” support (voters who are less likely to be transplants from other towns or states) in the top four towns listed. In the rest of the towns, it is possible that a lot of the “townie” voters stayed home for the primary.
It makes sense that Brownsberger would pull this support in his home town (because of his fine reputation as frmr. selectmen) and Clark (many terms on Melrose school committee). This is much harder to accomplish if you are a politicians who runs only on issues and who has not served as a local official.
Watertown turnout on the Democratic Side for the April 30th Primary between Markey & Lynch was 4105. which would make the percentage of this Tuesday’s turnout about 116% of April’s.
I attribute the increase in part to the efforts of the Koutoujian campaign to pull out the Armenian vote in East Watertown. Town Council District A (East Watertown) is typically the lowest voting district in local/low turnout elections, and that was the case in April. On Tuesday, however, it was the highest of the four council districts, an increase of 27% over the Markey/Lynch primary. Precincts 1 & 2 in particular had an increase of 37% and 40% respectively — far and away the highest growing precincts in town.
I have updated my text to correct what the numbers actually mean. It’s not exactly apples to apples but it was what I had access to.
It should be noted the totals in 2013 reflected the fact that the entire city is eligible to vote for Senator, but only five wards are in the 5th CD. So the significant drop is partly attributable to that.
I should have given a HT to oceandreams for the original research . According to the post, the Cambridge and Sudbury numbers were manually tallied for the wards and precincts in CD5.
Thanks to you both! Li anticipated a nitpicker like me. I’m rather surprised at that drop off then, I wonder how many people knew they were now in the CD-5 or that there was a special? Our municipal is coming up and is actually really interesting this year (three incumbents stepping down and a lot of serious challengers).
When I have the time, I will try to get the other set of numbers: CD5 primary voters. Kate
By resorting the data, you get another picture of the importance of the various municipalities in the district.
– – Municipality – – – – CD5 Turnout —
Arlington 7301
Waltham 5622
Belmont 5461
Cambridge 5347
Medford 5240
Watertown 4772
Framingham 4417
Lexington 4153
Melrose 3849
Malden 3701
Natick 2631
Revere 2526
Woburn 2172
Winchester 2086
Stoneham 1893
Winthrop 1442
Ashland 1257
Wayland 1188
Holliston 1085
Sudbury 1047
Lincoln 810
Weston 696
Southborough 434
Sherborn 394
Total 69524
Note to C-Span. When you identify the district, the political and geographic center of the district is Arlington.