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November 3rd, 2009 at 8:45 am
Looks like the Feds are watching:
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:52 am
This short article referenced by Mr. Lynne, in today’s Sun, goes on to say that activists in both cities have complained about a lack of minority representation in their city councils. Anyone know any details on how this came about?
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:33 am
Not sure about the Lowell situation but in Springfield this has been going on for a while now and it happened for several election cycles in Holyoke too.
I monitored polling places a number of times to be sure poll checkers did not arbitrarily dismiss registered voters or that they might fail intentionally or not to let folks know they could vote a challenge ballot to be verified at the relevant city hall later on election day.
Just a guess - but here in Lowell this could concern languages spoken by poll workers in parts of the city where English might not be a voter’s first language and whether or not ballots are available in multiple languages too.
And, because some folks move around a lot, you might show up at the wrong polling place, but still be a legally registered voter. Certain rules are supposed to kick in for such a person too and at least in my western MA experience, this did not always happen.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:37 am
Predicted results: 1) Rita 2) Bud 3) Bill Martin
Frankie D 9) Paul B
4) Armand 5) Broderick 6) Rodney
7) Alan K
All School committee members get re-elected and the question is defeated 80 % - 20%
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:18 am
Did anyone hear this “straw poll” that WCAP did? I didn’t catch it, but was told that Alan K was first in votes, can anyone fill me in on details?
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:31 am
Saturday Morning Warren Shaw show the 4 things you need to know if you didn’t listen-
1) Kazanjian finished 1st.
2) Incumbents DOMINATED.
3) Fred Bahou DOMINATED.
4) Question 1 was “defeated” 46-2.
Unless you mean a poll they took this morning after I got to work. Then I got nothing for you. BTW, I think Hell froze over as Lynne gave us a plug.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:42 am
Mark, it must have been the Saturday show.. Very surprised by AK in the top spot.. Must have gotten a Teflon suit from Mavericky McCain
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:51 am
Why would hell freeze over? I just usually don’t have any reason to mention you - it’s not that I don’t read it or think it’s funny quite a lot of the time.
Report so far from the “front lines”…just voted (at 10:45am) and was the 111th voter in 10-1/10-2 - pretty low turnout so far but then again, I am always surprised how many people vote after work and not before.
The voters I talked to in precinct 7 (Senior Center) seemed largely unhappy with incumbents. These were not people talking to me because they saw the sign…they were walking by on their way in/out from elsewhere. That’s encouraging, but totally anecdotal so take that for what it’s worth.
Though my tromp through Belvidere in the last couple of days, regarding signs out on lawns, was encouraging too - a lot of challenger signs, and quite a lot of signs for the “three” incumbents (Milinazzo, Broderick, Martin) who are on Move Lowell Forward’s list. Less ugly orange signs than I would have thought.
Straw polls are junk. The only one that matters is today’s.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:00 am
as a rule, yes, I agree most polls are junk.. So lynne, what is your prediction for City Council race.(as unbiased as is possible)
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:24 am
I didn’t say most polls are junk, I said straw polls are junk. Easily manipulated and certainly NOT representative of reality in any case. In the case of a show Shaw Saturday show on WCAP, a very self selecting group of people, most of whom back the GOBs. There are good polls, but they require research to find the likely voters and a large enough sample size to be useful.
I don’t have a prediction. The one way not to look like a fool predicting something is to not do it in the first place. I have no idea how the returns will look. I certainly have my hopes, and some reason to be optimistic anecdotally, but with no hard data I’m loathe to assume anything. I just work hard until there’s a result and if it’s one that I wanted I celebrate.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:28 am
Oh and it would be awesome to have had the money for a real poll, but I have to imagine polling in a local open-seat race like we have would be very hard. There are a lot of candidates and up to nine votes per person…if someone were pressed weeks ahead of time who they would vote for, I would think many wouldn’t be able to name them. It’d be hard to be real accurate unless you came up with a good methodology.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:50 am
Sun is reporting that turnout is up slightly as of around 11am.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:55 am
Very quiet over at the Pyne School Ward 11 precint 2 at 9:10 this morn I was number 73. The only buzz I heard was that there was a much lower elderly turnout then normal in the AM and some references to Kaz and Regina and the wrond doings in the sun. Not sure a lower elderly turnout is such a bad thing. It is a blue collar neighborhood so my poll is always busy in the evenings rather then the morning.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:57 am
I always vote after work. That way I can be 100% that all of the old people will have finished their voting for the day.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:33 pm
I predict a surprise or two, maybe Armand and/or Elliott and/or Kaz not quite making it. But because of the lack of primary, I don’t think there is enough support behind any particular challengers for there to be a real change.
November 3rd, 2009 at 12:52 pm
My neighbor just got back from voting at the Bailey. A poll workers said it was quieter than usual - but expect a lot of after work traffic.
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I queried 4 of the poll workers after voting at the Reilly School and they each told me that the turnout was very heavy as compared to past CC elections for that time of day (noon).
Very encouraging.
November 3rd, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Okay I’ll take Gary’s challenge.
My predictions
1, Rita
2. Bud
3. Franky
4. Armand
5. Martin
6. Milinazo
7. Broderick
8. Rodney
9/10 either AK, Murphy or Mendonca
School Board
1. Conway
2. Regina
3. Jackie
4. Laraba
5. Martin
6/7 Leahy/Leary (no one can tell them apart!)
Regional
1. O’hare
2. Balhou
Question 1
Barely defeated, election does not get the 33% needed of voter turnout to pass anyway.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I have it from good sources that there are only a half dozen cup cakes remaining at the Reilly School bake sale.
November 3rd, 2009 at 2:56 pm
always a good sign Ned..carry on..
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Close to 2:30pm, 435+/- voters had cast ballots at the Masonic Center. That has all of Ward 2. The 05/07 average for that Ward, Total Votes was 601.
In 2006 State Election, Total Votes was 1428. In the CD5 Special Election, Total Votes was 747. In the 2008 Presidential Election, Total Votes was 2438.
You make the call.
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:55 pm
I voted at the the Greenhalge in Centralville at 7:30 this morning. No lines, no waiting, forgot wallet so no baked goods.
CC: Broderick, Martin, Milinazzo, Descoteaux, Murphy, Berard, Hussain, Opara, Gabriel. SC: Doherty, Leary, Martin, Laraba. GLTHSSC: Bahou. Yes on 1.
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:56 pm
Since Ward 2 is downtown, that is REALLY good news for the challengers, especially Franky, and very BAD news for the GOBs.
I wouldn’t be surprised if that ward hits near 750-800 voters once all is said and done and the evening rush is through. IF - and that’s a big if - Ward 2 in 05/07 average turnout was 27%, my math tells me that 750 voters in Ward 2 means a 33% turnout!!!
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:48 pm
In 2007 we only had a 2 percent increase in voter turnout from 2005.
Does anyone have a link to 2007 ward_precinct results for 2007?
I only have the 2-3 roughly most of downtown, Appelton to Warren, to Dutton, to Fr. Morrissette.
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:51 pm
At about 430 the PAV total in Centralville was showing 240 ballots.
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:54 pm
As of 10:00 AM Pine St had just over 100 ballots cast.
As of 4:30 PM Wang School had 450ish.
As I write this information, I don’t know if it is useful to anyone whatsoever.
November 3rd, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Centralville at 7:30 this morning. No lines, no waiting, …that’s good?
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I voted today
CC: Franky, Rita, Gabriel, Murphy, and Alan.
SC: Connie Martin
GL: Bahou and Hayden
You don’t have to vote for em’ all vote for who you like!
Say NO to Choice Voting. It’s not worth the AGGRAVATION!
November 3rd, 2009 at 5:14 pm
About 4p-ish at the Elks, 343 (out of 603) voters had cast votes…
November 3rd, 2009 at 7:43 pm
All 8 Incumbents Reelected, Mendonca 9th. Q1 down in flames.
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Ward 10 Precinct 2 was 35 at 8am. Last year with the Presidential Election it was 90 at that time. My 2-year old son got to sit in the fire engine!
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:44 pm
Oh ye all of little faith….Laraba, Bahou and bye bye Kaz!
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Can it be? Did the wicked business owner get ousted? Say it is so!!
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:52 pm
And bye bye Regina - who got her arms ripped off tonight??
November 3rd, 2009 at 8:57 pm
Not looking good for Armand and Alan.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:06 pm
its official kaz man is history oh happy day
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:12 pm
it doesn’t matter that choice voting didn’t pass. tonight lowell got a much much better city council and school committee. don’t underestimate the power of left in lowell in all of this either - nobody can say that you are not a factor anymore.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:17 pm
DING DONG THE WICKED KAZ IS DEAD.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:29 pm
Last one to vote at the bailey school, they locked the door behind me (long day at work). Didn’t think to ask about turn-out.
November 3rd, 2009 at 9:52 pm
There are 3600 members of the gob, and they were the ones who stuck with regina and alan, and the rest of their support has now disappeared.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I hope this is a call to Elliot that the supporters that he has are not the same that support Rita and Bud or his numbers would have been much higher. He alienated a lot of people with the Sheehan and Primary vote.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Today, people in Lowell and around the nation came out and voted thier opinions and let thier voices be heard. The People of Lowell voted out corruption, criminal behavior, and added three of the most smartest and most experienced challengers to the council.
Faticanti finally got the message: and she sure got it LOUD! People are sick and tired of the same old same old crap. These incumbents tonight thought that they could, and would hold thier position for life. They got a wake up call.
Glad to see “choice voting” go down. Too confusing, and unneccesary. The people can make changes very easily themselves, thank you.
Also following whats happening nationally; Virginia and, what, New Jersey!? Wow I guess the conservative tea party movement is having its impact almost as effectively as we in Lowell have tonight. Good to see.
Ta,ta. Goodnight. And hears to a new council that will move this city forward.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:33 pm
I am not sure how I feel about this election. We were able to vote out the most wretched and in Armand’s case, least healthy candidates. I wouldn’t consider this a victory though. I would have felt a lot better if Rodney had been ousted. At least his mayoral aspirations are down the tubes… Maybe he will start taking his elected position seriously… Rita for Mayor!?!?
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:49 pm
nights like this, I wish I was onto my twitter account on my cell..this race was called VERY early..
To comment #37, Dodo…AK had a ways to fall…and he fell with a resounding crash on the GOB maximum threshold..
I call Broderick for Mayor
November 4th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Bad day and deservedly so for the State Delegation. Their book may be entitled, “Profiles in Friendship.” Faith restored in a forward looking Lowell.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:33 am
What a wonderful day, a fantastic night, and so much to celebrate! I say hurrah! hurrah! hurrah! May Bernie Lynch continue as City Manager now with a glad heart! Perhaps one of the first orders of business for the new City Council in January will be to reinstate the position of Assistant City Manager…..
November 4th, 2009 at 6:19 am
It was a bad day for Kevin Murphy’s bid for the city manager. Bernie Lynch’s pillow must have been super cozy last night.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:01 am
I have faith in the system again!!! Time to put a bull’s eye on the king and queen of Lowell in 2011. What a great day!!!
November 4th, 2009 at 8:11 am
A sea change in the council, maybe in part to the efforts of the citizens to get the voters to listen to the issues that face the city.
Using Dick Howe’s site for voting data, there is an interesting comparison of results. With the single exception of Mayor Caulfield, the Move Lowell Forward endorsement of candidates who also were on the ballot in 2007 show increases for those endorsed, and decreases for those not endorsed.
Rita Mercier dropped 156 votes
Mayor Caulfield increased 425 votes*
Jim Milinazzo increased 859 votes
Kevin Broderick increased 560 votes
Bill Martin increased 337 votes
Rodney Elliott dropped 352 votes
Alan Kazanjian dropped 1768 votes
Armand Mercier dropped 569 votes
Joe Mendonca increased 1086 votes
David Koch increased 521 votes
* only exception
November 4th, 2009 at 8:19 am
I’m glad to see the change across the board. However, people don’t seem to get how the E plan of government is supposed to work. The city manager works FOR the council. It’s not the other way around. The confusion can be blamed on The Sun in my opinion. Councilors, like any other elected official, are elected so that the people they represent have a voice in city issues. And if that voice happens to be on the other side of the manager than so be it. Mr. Lynch is not a dictator and councilors who disagree on issues should not be made out to be someone stalling the movement of this city. The Sun created a very negative attitude in this city toward elected officials and those who work on tax payer dollars. It doesn’t take a mind reader to figure out that they clearly had an agenda this election season. They are huge supporters of Bernie Lynch. I tend to be too and really think the city as a whole has made leaps and bonds with him as manager. But, in order for a healthy government councilors need to form their own opinions and get a feel for what their constituents believe. And they should not be voted in on the mere fact that they are a rubber stamp in a sense, or voted out because they are not. It’s no lie that the Lowell Sun clearly holds a lot of influence in this city, and by the way the election went that is evident. It just seems to me that there are a few councilors that feel it’s more important to get a feel on the what the paper has to say on an issue vote accordingly. It also seems that the councilors who don’t rubber stamp are portrayed negatively. It will be interesting to see how this new council takes shape early next spring. I just hope The Sun doesn’t try and divide them into two camps, the ones who back lynch and those who don’t. That’s not what it’s about.
Congratulations to all those challengers who won seats last night. Challengers who got elected were the ones who really went the extra mile to get their thoughts and opinions on important issues in this city out there loud and clear. I just hope those on the council don’t jump from the platforms they formed during their campaigns. Mainly I mean term limits. I know atleast two of the victorious challengers believed in some form of term limit. But also budget issues and issue of the meals tax. I was ecstatic to see Fred Bahou get elected in a landslide. I don’t remember the final count but I believe he was right up there with Rita as far total votes. That says a ton, that women set the standard in this city as far as votes. I just could not get how anybody could justify voting for O’ Hare and especially Hayden. 40% of the Vokes budget is the teacher’s contracts and they could not vote on them. Who are they kidding? They are lucky they didn’t get slammed more for what has been going on over there. In Mr. Hayden’s case he is an employee I guess so they probably took it easy on him. However, you lose all credibility when you cannot vote on that large a percentage of the budget your supposedly in control of. And continually hire family and friends to jobs. Mr. Hayden’s own daughter was hired as a teacher there with no prior experience but somehow put on a pay scale equal to that of somebody teaching for 20 years. It doesn’t suprise me that they gave Cashin ungodly raises. One hand clearly was washing the other over there. Now I hope Mr. O’Hare gets the wake up call.
Lastly, I’ll take issue with those who wanted “Fair” or “Choice” voting put in. From the outset I believed there main concern should have been getting different ethnic groups who typically don’t get involved out to vote. Just because they vote in such low number does not mean they don’t have a say. It means supposed like minded people are not coming out with them. They should of spent there resources on going door to door in sections of the city with the historically poorest voter turnout and getting the word out to vote and getting the word out to register. To me, it seemed, there were just a lot of racial underpinnings coming groups, especially ONE Lowell run by Ms. Fahlberg, who don’t get me wrong serves a great purpose helping out the Asian community in this city. I never bought into it. And I don’t think that change on those bases help this city move forward. In a way the city election this year mirrored that of President Obama’s win last November. A large percentage of people wanted the country, in our case the city, pointed in a new direction. They wanted a bigger say in how our government and country was run. These two elections go to prove that the system works.
November 4th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Great night!! I wonder if Lowell had “Choice” as a voting system, would Allan and Regina still hold their seats? An untested voting system could have unintended results. Trust the people –
November 4th, 2009 at 8:33 am
I have to disagree with you, jmm.
“The city manager works FOR the council. It’s not the other way around.”
I think - no, I know - that the challengers AND the block of three incumbents know this and adhere to this. Fact is, the budget Lynch brought to the Councilors was balanced and fairly responsible (perhaps a little optimistic on the meals tax income, maybe, maybe not). The reason why these councilors will allow Bernie Lynch to do his job unmolested is that he does the job, doesn’t show up at all the ribbon cuttings like a strong mayor (Cox did), and generally speaking tries his best to address the concerns and questions of the Councilors that are reasonable. Even the ones who are unreasonable.
Once things settle in, you will see a much better, more respectful relationship between Council and City Manager. Certainly I do NOT expect them to rubber stamp everything, but nor do I expect them to micro manage him, either, which is not their jobs. There will be questions, and what’s more, the people who are now the majority are GOOD, damn good, at what questions to ask! We won’t see the grandstanding I-made-up-my-mind-before-knowing-the-facts majority we’ve been seeing for two years.
If all of this is not the case, they (the councilors) and he (Lynch) will know it from us that it is not acceptable. But I am severely optimistic that I won’t be disappointed!
“Lastly, I’ll take issue with those who wanted “Fair” or “Choice” voting put in. From the outset I believed there main concern should have been getting different ethnic groups who typically don’t get involved out to vote.”
I have a problem with this. First, two words: Mehmed Ali. That was his whole entire campaign strategy and he lost - and there then was NO ethnic representation, under a winner-take-all system. Choice voting would have effectively allowed ethnic groups to back a candidate they felt represented them and get him elected. Under Choice, I am certain, certain that Mehmed would have been strongly elected. That this would strengthen the ethnic/neighborhood vote is the crux of why this system was chosen to get on the ballot.
November 4th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Lynne I wasn’t talking about the challengers or the incumbent not knowing how our plan of gov’t work, I was talking about the perception with residents in the city. I’m sorry Lynne but your making my point when you say the people who were voted out were somehow always disrespectful to the manger or tried to micro manage. My whole point was that The Sun had an agenda, as you clearly do also, against certain members of this council. I think the city made huge strides with this council and I don’t think there were any councilors who went against the manager on every position just to break his balls. But I do think that certain councilors were called out because they didn’t cowtail to everything Bernie Lynch.
And your point of the why the voting system change wasn’t put on the ballot couldn’t be further from the truth. It has nothing to do with peoples fear of strengthening the ethnic community. Which was point when I said that your main focus should have been to get the ethnic community out to vote. There was no ethnic representation under a winner take all system because the ethnic population in this city for the most part could care less about voting for some reason. Which is sad. If you want to get the ethnic representation that you seek I implore you to go door to door and make these people see that they have a say in this city as long as they get out to vote. You seem to imply that this did not pass because of bigotry and I as a 24 year old city resident take great offense to that. I voted it down because people like you and Ms. Fahlberg wanted it for all the wrong reasons and saw it as a way to get results without doing the hard work you should of been doing in getting the word out to “ethnic” groups as you put it to vote. I’m sorry but if they can’t find it in themselves to get out and vote they don’t deserve a voice on this council.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:57 am
jmm is correct that the manager works for the council (they hire him, negotiate his contract, evaluate him and sometimes award a raise for his efforts). However, Plan E limits their control over the management primarily to divorce the day-to-day operations from political influence. That is a good system.
Unfortunately, the manager has become the issue and it divides the City. The SUN does us no favor to endorse candidates merely on the basis for their unconditional support to the City manager. At the same time, uncertainty with the position is a negative for private investment, and the current council has done us no favor when they undermine the position, such as with the elimination of the assistant to city manager position.
It is likely that the incoming council will be more independent rather than two fractured groups, and that will be good for government. Maybe they will use systems to address constituent services more effectively, and devote their valuable time to debate significant issues and develop policies in conjunction with the manager that will benefit the city as a whole.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
“I’m sorry Lynne but your making my point when you say the people who were voted out were somehow always disrespectful to the manger or tried to micro manage.”
Dude, that’s indisputable! In fact, had someone the time and money and a good lawyer, you can bet that precedent could very well have been set in the interference firing of Sheehan. Micromanaging at its WORST! And they all did it, followed Kazanjian’s lead right down that (arguably illegal) rabbit hole.
“I think the city made huge strides with this council and I don’t think there were any councilors who went against the manager on every position just to break his balls.”
Were you watching the same meetings I was? Because I saw this *constantly*. Not only that, but the things where we made strides was DESPITE this council majority. Like, you know, that guy Sheehan whose job it was to oversee special projects to deliver services more effective, or save us money, or fix that cronyist mess that apparently is Inspectional Services. And who was the one to manage the various answers to the CC questions and requests for reports. Until they fired him, and then complained that Lynch wasn’t getting back to them quick enough with those requested reports.
“You seem to imply that this did not pass because of bigotry and I as a 24 year old city resident take great offense to that.”
I never said that. That is putting words AND intent into my mouth. I not once implied racism in not passing Choice. What I said is that Choice is a better system for ALL types of group/constituent representation - whether that’s geographic (neighborhood), ethnic, or even, yes, by issue (environmental, public safety, whatever).
The point is that the overwhelmingness that is natural high voter turnout areas kills the ability for other neighborhoods/ethnicities to get representation. It would be LOVELY to wave a magic wand and say “let there be turnout here as there is there.” Not going to happen. Higher turnout in those areas probably would correspond with some higher turnout in other areas anyway. These people are often not interested in voting BECAUSE it has been fruitless for them, so they stay home, discouraged. Choice was trying to offset that discouragement by giving them a decent chance at voting their own voice into a seat.