2009 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election
 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
| Elections in Massachusetts |
|---|
 |
 Massachusetts portal |
The 2009 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 3, 2009. It saw the election of Joseph C. O'Brien, who unseated incumbent mayor Konstantina B. Lukes.
As of 2019[update], this is the only time an incumbent mayor has lost reelection in a Worcester mayoral election since they started popularly electing mayors in 1987.[2]
Election system
In order to be elected mayor in Worcester, a person must place first in the mayor's race and also finish among the top six in the at-large city council election, being also elected a councilor at large. An individual cannot be elected mayor without additionally winning at at-large city council seat.[2][3]
In addition, the candidate elected to the office of councilor at large who receives the second-highest number of votes for the office of mayor will become vice-chair of the city council.[3]
Candidates
- Konstantina Lukes,[4] incumbent mayor since 2007, Worcester City Council at-large member since 1990
- Joseph C. O'Brien,[4] former School Committee member[5]
- Kate Toomey,[4], Worcester City Council at-large member since 2006[5][6][7]
- Emanuel Tsitsilianos[4][8]
Campaign
While there was speculation that Frederick C. Rushton, who had lost the 2007 to Lukes by an immensely narrow margin, might challenge her again in 2009,[9] he ruled it out in February of 2009.[10]
The election race was slow to start.[11]
Lukes, as she did in the previous election, saw two strong challengers, the two this time being O'Brien and Toomey.[8]
O'Brien's candidacy was supported by lieutenant governor and former Worcester mayor Tim Murray.[8][5] O'Brien was also supported by congressman Jim McGovern, for whom he once served as district director.[8] Many other local Democrats threw their support behind O'Brien.[8]
Toomey was endorsed by the Worcester County Sheriff and once of the city's two state senators.[8]
The election focused more on the leadership and personality of Lukes than it did on particular issues.[8]
O'Brien and Toomey criticized Lukes for being to inactive a mayor, and argued that she was ineffective at advocating for the city at the state and federal level.[8] Lukes refuted accusations that she was too inactive, arguing that the role of mayor was not intended to be a full-time position.[8]
Lukes argued that she had independence from what she claimed was a Murray-McGovern run political machine.[8]
Lukes argued that O'Brien was simply seeking to use the office of mayor as a platform to seek higher office, and argued that she herself was free from such ambitions.[8]
O'Brien pledged to commit attention to inner-city neighborhoods, and called attention to the fact that he resided in the less-affluent Main South area of the city.[8]
O'Brien aimed to run a movement-style campaign, seeking small online donations and utilizing the internet to organize campaign events.[8]
Lukes raised $33,895 for her campaign.[8] Lukes collected mainly small donations, and solicited her donations primarily by mail.[8] Financially, Lukes ran a low-cost campaign, even using her private law-office to house her campaign headquarters.[8]
O'Brien raised $43,300 for his campaign.[8] O'Brien was additionally supported by the grassroots group Neighbor to Neighbor, which funded $6,000 in mailers for his campaign.[8]
Toomey raised $33,633 for her campaign.[8]
Tsitsilianos did not raise any money for his campaign, and received little attention.[8] However, he did participate in the mayoral debates.[8]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nonpartisan | Joseph C. O'Brien | 10,214 | 50.58% | |
| nonpartisan | Konstantina B. Lukes (incumbent) | 5,663 | 28.04% | |
| nonpartisan | Kate Toomey | 3,722 | 18.43% | |
| nonpartisan | E. Tsitsilianos | 595 | 2.95% | |
| Total votes | 20,197 | |||
O'Brien also finished first in the at-large city council election.[4] Toomey finished second, Lukes finished fifth, Tsitsilianos finished eleventh.[4] Lukes, by the rules of the city charter, became the vice-chair of the Worcester City Council.
O'Brien was the only non-incumbent individual elected to a citywide office in Worcester that year.[12]
References
- ^ "Election Results | City of Worcester, MA". Worcester, Massachusetts. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
- ^ a b Kotsopoulos, Nick (September 21, 2019). "Politics and the City: And they're off and running for Worcester mayor". telegram.com. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
- ^ a b "Ordinances & Regulations | City of Worcester, MA". www.worcesterma.gov. Worcester. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g "WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS STATEMENT OF VOTES CAST MUNICIPAL ELECTION WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS" (PDF). Worcester, Massachusetts. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
- ^ a b c Monahan, John J.; Staff, Gazette (August 19, 2009). "Murray backs O'Brien for mayor; Lukes calls race a replay of 2007". telegram.com.
- ^ "Kate Toomey". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
- ^ "Cover Story: 07-27-06". Worcester Magazine. July 27, 2006. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Atkins, Hannah; Boatright, Robert; Cansever, Baran; Chaudari, Noreena; Cohen, Stefan; Gerhardson, Sasha; Gregoire, Amanda; Kahale, Joelle; Monterio, Jarett; Oldenburg, Colin; Schofield, Emily; Smith, Connor; Tripp, Charles. "Campaign Finance in Municipal Elections: The 2009 Worcester City Council Candidates" (PDF). Clark University. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
- ^ Kotsopoulos, Nick (February 25, 2009). "Rushton's decision clouds mayoral landscape". www.telegram.com. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
- ^ Kotsopoulos, Nick Kotsopoulos (February 24, 2009). "Rushton won't run for mayor". telegram.com. Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
- ^ Kotsopoulos, Nick. "telegram.com". www.telegram.com.
- ^ "Worcester Municipal Elections: 2009". Clark University. Retrieved December 10, 2019.