While not the same kind of turnout as is the norm for a presidential election, Wakefield voters did themselves proud yesterday by coming out in impressive numbers and voicing their opinions in state races and on the four ballot questions.
Of 17,410 registered to vote, 10,791 residents hit the polls at some point to exercise their right to be heard.
The town’s four polling places were pretty busy for most of the day. The only outcomes that differed from the final results were in races for U.S. Congress and the state Senate. Richard Tisei, who has helped hundreds of Wakefield residents in his years as a Beacon Hill lawmaker, received 56 percent of the local vote yesterday against Salem Democrat Seth Moulton. Moulton, however, trounced Tisei across the region and the Main Street Republican conceded defeat around 9:30 last night.
Winchester’s Jason Lewis, who was elected to a full two year term yesterday, was beaten by Melrose Republican Alderman Monica Medeiros, 5,195 votes to 4,629. Medeiros lives just over the Wakefield line in Melrose and competed strongly against Lewis earlier this year in a race for same seat. It became vacant when Katherine Clark was elected to Congress, succeeding Edward Markey, who became a U.S. senator.
When 62 percent of the town’s registered voters turn out for an election, that should be seen as a triumph for all those participating.
Now, if we could get the same number out for a town election, or a fraction of that number for a town meeting, we’d be all set.
