Mayor Martin Walsh cruised to an easy reelection victory, defeating City Councilor Tito Jackson during the Nov. 7 general election, according to unofficial City results. About 28 percent of registered voters participated in the election.
Walsh garnered 70,125 votes, or 65 percent of voters, while Jackson collected 36,433 votes, or 34 percent of voters. In Jamaica Plain, Jackson defeated Walsh, 5,164 votes to 5,038. [Editor’s note: Our print version had Walsh winning because of an erroneous precincts count.]
In the race for an at-large city councilor seat, all four incumbents were reelected. Michelle Wu was the top vote getter, collecting 64,978 votes, or 24 percent of voters. Following her were Ayanna Pressley (22 percent), Michael Flaherty (19 percent), and Annissa Essaibi George (17 percent). Althea Garrison finished in fifth place with 7 percent, meaning if one of the four at-large councilors leaves, she will fill the vacant seat. Domingos DaRosa (4 percent), William A. King (3 percent), and Pat Payaso (2 percent) rounded out the at-large race.
Most Jamaica Plain voters did not have a competitive district council race to vote in, as City Councilor Matt O’Malley of District 6, which represents most of Jamaica Plain, and City Councilor Andrea Joy Campbell of District 4, which covers parts of Forest Hills and Woodbourne, both did not have a challenger.
A few JP residents did help decide the District 7 seat, as that covers a portion of Egleston Square. Kim Janey defeated Rufus J. Faulk, garnering 56 percents of voters to Faulk’s 43 percent.