SHIRLEY - Of the town's 4,105 registered voters, 3,144 cast ballots in Tuesday's presidential election, a turnout of 76.6 percent. As to whether that number set a record, that information was not immediately available Wednesday morning.
One seeming anomaly, however, was the result of the State Senate race. In Shirley, Brown won.
Town voters, who by and large tend to favor Democrats, voted for incumbent Scott Brown, a Republican, over Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren. It would have been an upset, had the rest of the state gone the same way, but it didn't.
Statewide, Warren won.
For president, Shirley voters sided with the rest of the nation, choosing sitting President Barak Obama, a Democrat, over Republican rival Mitt Romney.
It wasn't a sweep down the ballot, but Republican candidates trumped Democrats in a couple of contested races here. Not the major races, though, in which Democratic incumbents were chosen over Republican challengers.
Congresswoman Niki Tsongas tidily beat Republican opponent Jonathan Golnik and Senator James Eldridge garnered more votes than Republican challenger Dean Cavaretta.
State Representative Jennifer Benson, also a Democrat, held her seat, but she ran unopposed.
In all three races, Shirley results mirrored those of the state. The same candidates won.
Shirley State Election Results
*For President:
Obama and Biden, Democratic: 1,553 votes
Romney and Ryan, Republican, 1,482 votes
Stein and Honkala, Green-Rainbow, 30 votes
Johnson and Gray, Libertarian, 65 votes
Blanks, 7
All Others, 7
*Senator in Congress:
Scott P.
Elizabeth A. Warren, Democratic, 1,335
Blanks, 22
*Representative in Congress, Third District:
Nicola S. Tsongas, Democratic, 1,802
Jonathan A. Golnik, Republican, 1,255
Blanks, 87
*Councilor, Third District:
Marilyn M. Petitto Devaney, Democratic, 1,794
Thomas Sheff, Unenrolled, 848
Blank, 502
*Senator in General Court, Middlesex & Worcester District:
James B. Eldridge, Democratic, 1,934
Dean J. Cavaretta, Republican, 1,031
Blank, 179
*Representative in General Court, 37th Middlesex District:
Jennifer E. Benson, Democratic, 2,400
Blank, 734
All Others, 10
*Clerk of Courts, Middlesex County:
Michael A. Sullivan, Democratic, 2,351
Blanks, 787
All Others, 6
*Register of Deeds, Middlesex Southern District:
Marcia C. Curtatone, Democratic, 2,278
Blank, 682
*Sherrif, Middlesex County (To Fill Vacancy)
Peter J. Koutoujian, Democratic, 1,625
Ernesto M. Petrone, Unenrolled, 965
Blank, 552
All Others, 2
BALLOT QUESTIONS:
*Question 1, Availability of Motor Vehicle Repair Information:
Yes. 2.535
No, 420
Blank, 189
*Question 2, Prescribing Medication to End Life:
Yes, 1,577
No, 1,477
Blank, 90
*Question 3, Medical Use of Marijuana:
Yes, 1,926
No, 683
Blank, 535
According to Town Clerk Amy McDougall, there were three (3) Pending Provisional Ballots to be researched.
Lining up the three Ballot questions, voters across the state said Yes, No and Yes, respectively.
TOWN ELECTION
One question and the answer was no.
The only question on the Town ballot was a proposed Proposition 2 /12 Tax override to fund an additional full-time police officer's position failed.
The override would have assessed an additional $73,495 in Real Estate and Personal Property taxes to cover salary, wages and hourly (union) expenses, operating expenses and the Town's share of family health insurance coverage.
*Results:
Yes, 1,445
No, 1,589
Blanks, 32
Fewer people voted in the Town Election than the State Election. The 3,066 votes cast represented 74.7 percent of the Town's 4,105 Registered Voters.
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