2014 Massachusetts Statewide Election Results [Updates]
Associated Press
UPDATE: After the race continued without an official decision into the wee hours of the morning, Democrat Martha Coakley called Republican Charlie Baker at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday to concede the race and congratulate him on his win, according to numerous reports. Coakley will address her supporters at 11 a.m. from her campaign headquarters.
EARLIER: It’s been a race so tight that, at times, just 100 votes separated the two leading gubernatorial candidates vying for a spot on Beacon Hill. Just after 1:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Baker took the stage at his campaign headquarters in the Seaport District and thanked an electrified crowd for sticking around, well after the polling booths closed and Coakley refused to concede the race as votes continued to trickle in from around the state.
Baker said he spoke with Coakley, who asked that they wait until morning before calling the election, something he agreed to and said was “just fine.”
“In politics and elections, every vote counts, and I’m perfectly fine with giving her until the morning to see the results come in,” Baker said to a packed room at the Seaport Hotel, quieting “boos” from the crowd. “That’s the way it works, folks, and that’s the way it should work.”
Baker thanked supporters continuously, and reiterated more than once that “every vote counts.”
“It’s been a long, long ride. And it’s been bumpy at times. But we always knew that our vision to make this state great, improve our economy, close that achievement gap in education, bring the kind of fiscal discipline and balance to Beacon Hill and bipartisanship that so many people responded to over the course of this campaign was the right way to go,” he said. “Tonight the voters said, ‘Yes.'”
The day’s results were seemingly unpredictable, and by 12:15 a.m., nearing what some had hoped was the end of the night, Baker held a slight lead over Coakley, with 969,110 votes, or 48.1 percent of the total reported from 94 precincts.
Trailing behind with 945,815 votes—a 1-percent margin—Coakley’s camp sent supporters gathered at her campaign rally home, telling attendees that they would not throw in the towel until all of the statewide votes had been accounted for.
“This is an incredibly close race,” said Steve Kerrigan, Coakley’s running-mate for Lt. Governor, warning backers at the campaign rally that it was going to be a “long morning.”
It was an often tense evening that undoubtedly had constituents glued to their screens as the results started to come in starting at 8 p.m. Tuesday. For most of the night, the tally teeter-tottered, showing a slight edge for Baker at times before quickly volleying back in favor of Coakley. “I went through some of the same ups and downs some of you went through,” Baker said.
Early on, Baker was the top contender as a fraction of the precincts began returning election results. But it wasn’t long before support for Coakley quickly gained momentum, overtaking Baker’s lead, and putting the race for the governor’s seat in a deadlock for hours.
As the night progressed, Coakley once again dropped behind Baker, at one point closing the gap to just 100 votes, before the Republican candidate managed to pull ahead even further and keep his lead.
“We will see what happens in the morning, I mean that. But we are fired up. We are as fired up as you are, and we are as excited as you are,” Baker said.
Massachusetts Statewide Offices
Governor/Lieutenant Governor
Charlie Baker and Karyn Polito, RepublicanMartha Coakley and Stephen J. Kerrigan, DemocratEvan Falchuk and Angus Jennings, United Independent Party Scott Lively and Shelly Saunders, Independent Jeff McCormick and Tracy Post, Independent
Attorney General
Maura Healey, DemocratJohn B. Miller, Republican
Secretary of State
William Francis Galvin, DemocratDavid D’Arcangelo, RepublicanDaniel L. Factor, Green-Rainbow
Treasurer
Deborah B. Goldberg, DemocratMichael James Heffernan, Republican Ian T. Jackson, Green-Rainbow
Auditor
Suzanne M. Bump, DemocratPatricia S. Saint Aubin, RepublicanMK Merelice, Green-Rainbow
U.S. Senate
According to the Associated Press, Senator Ed Markey won the U.S. Senate representing Massachusetts, and was re-elected to a full six-year term.
New Hampshire Senate Race
The New York Times is reporting that Democrat Jeanne Shaheen beat Republican Scott Brown, formerly of Massachusetts and presently of New Hampshire, in the race for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire.
Massachusetts Ballot Questions
Question 1: Eliminating Gas Tax Indexing
The legislature passed a law in 2013 pegging the gas tax rate to inflation so that it would automatically rise (or fall) as the price of goods rises. Now, voters have a chance to repeal that.
The result?
YES… the law will be repealed.
Question 2: Expanding the Bottle Bill
Currently, Massachusetts takes a five cents “deposit” when you buy beer and soda cans. If you return the recyclables to a redemption center, you can get those five cents back. Voters were asked whether or not they wanted to extend that incentive program to water bottles, sports drinks, and other “non-alcoholic non-carbonated drinks in liquid form.”
Their final answer?
NO… the law will remain as is.
Question 3: Expanding Prohibitions on Gaming
In 2011, a legislature-passed law allowed for three casinos to be built in Massachusetts. Since then, plans have gone forward to build resort casinos in Everett and Springfield. And, despite some tribulations, voters took a gamble and decided the law should remain in place, voting against a repeal.
The result?
Question 4: Guaranteed Sick Time for Employees
This proposal would allow workers at companies with more than 11 employees to earn and use up to 40 hours of paid sick time each year. Right now, sick leave policy is often up to the employer, but this would require companies to give employees that time.
What did the voters decide?
YES… workers will get guaranteed sick time.
— Eric Randall contributed reporting
