WAKEFIELD — Voters here backed Republican Charlie Baker over Democrat Martha Coakley for governor by a wider margin than he won statewide, went with Main Street’s Richard Tisei in a losing effort for Congress, backed casino gambling, rejected the state gas tax rising with inflation, overwhelmingly defeated an attempt to expand the bottle bill and narrowly supported mandatory sick time for all employees during yesterday’s state election.
Baker was narrowly elected across the state to succeed Deval Patrick as chief executive officer of the Commonwealth Tuesday. This morning around 8:15, Coakley called Baker to congratulate him on his victory. She also scheduled a press conference at her Somerville headquarters to address supporters at 11 a.m.
Sixty two percent of Wakefield’s registered voters participated in yesterday’s election. Baker and running mate Karyn Polito received 6,090 votes, while Coakley and lieutenant gubernatorial running mate Steven Kerrigan received 4,189 votes. United Independent Party gubernatorial candidate Evan Falchuk got 266 votes in Wakefield.
The margin of Baker’s victory over Coakley here — 57 percent to 39.2 percent — was wider than the 48 to 47 percent margin statewide.
In the race to represent the North Shore in Congress, Tisei was soundly defeated throughout the Sixth Congressional District, 55 to 40 percent. In Wakefield, the longtime Beacon Hill legislative leader received 5,956 votes to Congressman-elect Seth Moulton’s 4,357 votes.
The four referendum questions on yesterday’s ballot proved an attraction to voters too.
Question 1, the repeal of gas tax indexing, passed statewide 52.9 percent to 47.1 percent. The repeal passed in Wakefield by a wider margin, 57.7 percent to 42.3 percent. The repeal was backed here 6,038 to 4,424. Supporters of the repeal argued that no tax should increase automatically. Opponents said the repeal would have a negative impact on state roads and bridges.
Expansion of the state’s bottle bill was rejected here 8,854 to 1,794, again by a wider margin that the 73 to 26 percent statewide. Supporters of Question 2 said expanding the bottle collection and raising handling fees, among other things, would reduce litter. Opponents said recycling is being done in every community in the state, making the bottle bill antiquated.
Question 3 asked voters to repeal the current law allowing casino gambling in the Commonwealth. In Wakefield, 6,776 voters said no to the repeal, while 3,837 supported it. Opponents of the repeal argued that the economy would be hurt if the casino law was abolished. Supporters said casinos are bad news and bring many adverse social issues with them, including gambling addiction, crime and traffic. Casinos have already been approved for Springfield and Everett.
Statewide, the repeal failed by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin.
The final ballot question asked to entitle all employees to earn sick time in certain conditions. Question 4 passed in Wakefield 5,511 to 5,039. Across the state, it passed by a 60 to 40 percent margin.
In the race to represent Wakefield in the state Senate, Melrose Republican Monica Medeiros carried the town, getting 5,195 votes to incumbent Senator Jason Lewis’ 4,629. Lewis, however, won reelection.
Greenwood Republican John Lock lost to Melrose Democrat Paul Brodeur in the state House of Representatives district that includes Wakefield’s Precincts 4, 5 and 6. Brodeur won Wakefield 2,341 to 2,036 and was reelected to another term districtwide.
Incumbent state Rep. Donald Wong easily brushed off a challenge by fellow Saugus resident Christopher Finn both here and across the Ninth Essex District. Wong received 3,397 votes to Finn’s 2,105.
The results of other statewide races appear in today’s Daily Item.
