No surprises in Weston’s midterm election results

As a blue wave swept the nation on election night, Weston stayed true to Massachusetts’ Democratic voting trends, with local results reflecting those around the state.

Massachusetts and Weston voters elected a full slate of Democrats in statewide races in Tuesday’s midterm election. The town also supported six of the record-tying nine ballot questions. 

Voter turnout in town was 55.85%, as 4,851 of the town’s 8,685 registered voters participated, according to unofficial results shared by Town Clerk Janet Murphy. Prior to the polls opening on Election Day, Murphy said 39% of voters had already cast their ballots through vote-by-mail or early in-person voting options, which she said was an “unheard of” amount for the town.

Turnout missed the town’s high-water marks of 59.8% participation set for a midterm election in 2022, and 76% in the 2024 presidential election.

Weston’s federal representatives, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and Congresswoman Katherine Clark, are both returning to Washington D.C. Markey easily fended off a challenge from Republican John Deaton, earning 3,089 votes to Deaton’s 1,454 in Weston. Independent Shiva Ayyadurai earned 121 votes, while Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate Joe Tache earned 42 votes. Clark ran uncontested.

Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kimberly Driscoll are returning to Beacon Hill, as they turned away Republicans Michael Minogue and Shawn Oliver, the latter of whom suspended his campaign after being arrested in mid-October. Weston supported the incumbents, 3,095 votes to the Minogue-Oliver ticket’s 1,581. Independent candidates Andrea James and Kayla Kittredge earned 75 votes.

Other statewide candidates also cruised to re-election. Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell defeated Republican Michael Walsh, 3,079-1,571. Longtime Secretary of State William Galvin earned a ninth term after defeating Wayland Republican Anne Brensley, 3,298-1,337. Treasurer Deborah Goldberg defeated Republican Elizabeth Dionne, 2,948-1,624. Auditor Diana DiZoglio also easily defeated Libertarian candidate Al Ozonoff, 3,506-689.

Most of Weston’s local representatives were unchallenged. Governor’s Councilor Mara Dolan, state Sen. Michael Barrett, Rep. Alice Hanlon Peisch and Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan all were re-elected in uncontested races.

In the town’s only contested local race, Middlesex County Register of Probate Tara DeCristofaro defeated Justice for All Party candidate Tara Martorella, 3,178-409.

Ballot questions

Weston’s ballot question results were also similar to the statewide tallies, with the town approving six of the nine questions. Statewide voting tallies are sourced from the Associated Press.

Question 1 was approved by more than 86% of voters statewide, opening access to records from the governor’s office and the Legislature. Records related to development of public policy and communications between legislators and constituents regarding assistance in obtaining government-provided benefits are exempt. Weston supported the measure, 3,931 votes to 742.

Voters also approved Question 2, by 64%, allowing employees of the Committee for Public Counsel Services – commonly known as public defenders – to unionize. Weston voters affirmed the state results, 2,369-2,244.

All-party primaries, proposed by Question 3, were rejected by Massachusetts voters by a roughly 61% margin. In Weston, the measure was also shot down, with 2,597 no votes to 2,094 yes votes.

Voters supported Question 4, 56% to 43%, allowing for same-day voter registration beginning in January 2028, meaning the provision will activate before voting begins in the next presidential primary. Weston also approved the proposal, 2,699-2,005.

While statewide results were not finalized by press time for Question 5, a provision to cap state revenue was approved by one vote in Weston, 2,298-2,297.

Voters also established a Nature for All Fund that will receive 50% of taxes collected from the sale and use of sporting goods, recreational vehicles and golf courses for its first year. In the following years, the fund, subject to appropriation by the Legislature, could receive up to 100% of taxes collected from those categories. Weston, a place where residents take pride in the town’s ample conservation land, approved the question, 2,531-2,089.

A proposal to allow single-family homes to be built on residentially zoned land on lots 5,000 square feet and larger was also still up in the air as of press time. Regardless of the result, the proposal would not affect Weston, as it requires communities to be served by a public sewer system, while Weston operates on private systems and septic tanks. While they would be unaffected, Weston voters rejected the question, 2,935-1,694.

Voters overwhelmingly voted against repealing the recreational marijuana laws approved in the 2016 general election, 75.7% to 24.3%. While there are no dispensaries in town, Weston voters also opted to retain the laws, 3,102-1,631

Weston also joined the rest of the state in affirming the 2024 gun law, which expanded definition of assault-style weapons, new data reporting requirements and an expansion of red-flag laws that allow healthcare workers and school administrators to ask courts to issue protection orders requiring people to surrender their firearms licenses and firearms. The result was 3,437 yes votes to 1,288 no votes.