Everett votes Harris as Trump wins back presidency

Voters support Ballot Questions 1, 2 & 3; reject Questions 4 & 5

By Neil Zolot

In unofficial, but generally accurate results from Election Night Tuesday, November 5, Everett voters followed state trends, but not the national outcome, with losing candidate and current Vice President Democrat Kamala Harris carrying Everett with 7,508 votes, with now President-elect Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump receiving 4,505. Democrat candidates carried Everett and Massachusetts in 2016 and 2020, as well as this year, but the Republican, Trump, won the national election in 2016 and 2024.

Trump did better in Everett this year than in the past two elections, losing by only 3,003 votes. While losing the national election in 2020, he received 4,022 Everett votes compared to Joe Biden’s 10,343, a difference of 6,321. While winning the Presidency in 2016, he received 3,940 compared to Hilary Clinton’s 9,641, a difference of 5,701.

The Everett results bore out a prediction from Chelsea Republican City Committee member and City Councillor Todd Taylor: Trump would do better in Everett this year, based on national trends. He lost in all Wards and Precincts, but did best in Ward 1, Precinct 2, which votes at the Connolly Center on Chelsea Street, losing by only 63 votes, 287 to 214.

In the other major contested race, incumbent Senator Democrat Elizabeth Warren received 7,992 Everett votes compared to Republican challenger John Deaton’s 3,957, with Everett again agreeing with the statewide result. Warren votes were twice that or more than Deaton in all Wards and Precincts.

In a lower profile contested race, Everett Democrat Maria Curtatone received 482 votes to be Middlesex Southern District Register of Deeds compared to 199 for Republican William Tauro.

In uncontested races, with 8,833 votes 7th District Congressional Representative Ayanna Presley, Middlesex and Suffolk Counties State Senator and Assistant Majority Leader Salvatore DiDomenico (9,603), 28th Middlesex District State Representative Joseph McGonagle (8,313), 2nd Suffolk District State Representative Daniel Ryan (282), 11th Suffolk District State Representative Judith Garcia (761) and state Governor’s Council 6th District representative Terence Kennedy (9,269) were all reelected. All are Democrats and won in the primary election in September with no Republican races at the time.

The city followed state trends on the ballot questions, approving Questions 1, 2 and 3 and rejecting 4 and 5. Everett approved Question 1 – to allow the State Auditor to audit the Legislature – by a vote of 8,108 to 3,157. City voters also approved Question 2 – to eliminate the state Comprehensive Assessment System test or other statewide or school district-wide test as requirements to graduate from High School – 7,339 to 4,479. City voters also approved Question 3 – to provide transportation network drivers (e.g., Uber drivers) the option to form unions to collectively bargain with transportation network companies regarding wages, benefits and terms and conditions of work – by a vote of 7,084 to 3,934.

City voters rejected Question 4 – a proposal to allow persons aged 21 and older to grow, possess and use certain natural psychedelic substances in certain circumstances under licensed supervision and to grow and possess limited quantities of those substances in their home, and to create a commission to regulate those substances – by a vote of 6,405 to 5250. City voters also rejected Question 5 – a proposal to gradually increase the minimum hourly wage an employer must pay a tipped worker, over the course of five years, to the full state minimum wage, at which point employers could pool all tips and distribute them to all non-management workers – by a close vote of 5,843 to 5,565.

Councillor-at-Large Katy Rogers made statements in favor of Questions 2 and 4. “I’m glad to see the MCAS question passed,” she said. “I don’t think it should be the standard for graduation.”

The full City Council and School Committee voted their approvals of Question 2 before the election.

She also expressed disappointment that Question 4 did not pass and feels voters could eventually become educated about the need for the substances in question to be readily available.

City Clerk Sergio Cornelio said the turnout was over 50%. The good weather and the importance of the Presidential race probably contributed to that. As a result, it was busy at the various precincts.

“It’s night and day from the primaries,” Ward 3, Precinct 1 Warden Ruthy Dottin said from the Everett Housing Authority Whittier Drive complex, in reference to 20% lower turnout in previous elections in 2024 and municipal elections in 2023.

At the Lafayette School, Ward 4, Precinct 1 Warden Laurence Arinello called the turnout “overwhelming. It’s nothing I expected to see.” Ward 4, Precinct 4 Warden Kathleen Arinello, also at Lafayette, confirmed it was “very busy.”
In the Keverian Room at City Hall, Ward 5, Precinct 2 Warden Linda Shedden called her day “crazy. It’s been very busy.”

Despite the high turnout, early voting and mail-in ballots being processed at the precincts, as they were in September, and some malfunctions of voting machines due to volume and not affecting accuracy, the City Clerk’s Office produced the final tally by 10:30 p.m.