Election Maintains Status Quo

Preliminary Results Indicate All Incumbents Re-Elected

– Allison Goldsberry

After one of the city’s quietest election periods in recent memory, preliminary results indicate that every incumbent seeking re-election coasted to victory on Tuesday.

The only potentially vulnerable incumbent is School Committee member William Brady, who, in sixth place, earned only forty-eight more votes than challenger candidate William O’Keefe.

Overall, dreary weather and an uncontested mayoral race meant lackluster turnout.

“The rain didn’t help matters,” said School Committee member Robert Emmett Skerry, Jr., who was elected to his ninth term on Tuesday.

For example, the city’s largest precinct, 3-2, where residents vote at Temple Shalom, Mayor Michael McGlynn earned 558 votes, compared to 753 in 2005.

Further underscoring the low turnout, City Councilor Fred Dello Russo, Jr., elected to his first term in 2005, came in fourth two years ago with 4,948 votes. This year, Dello Russo came in third with 3,941 votes, while incumbent councilor Paul Camuso came in first with 4,148 votes.

In 2005, Camuso topped the ticket with 5,319 votes.

On the School Committee side, popular incumbent Lena DiGiantommaso topped the ticket with 4,427 votes in 2005.

This year, Ann Marie Cugno, elected to her second term, earned first place with 3,289 votes, while DiGiantommaso came in second with 2,990 votes.

According to the Registrar of Voters, there are 32,914 registered voters in Medford.

The incumbents blamed the low turnout on the weather and the lack of hot button issues to attract voters to the polls.

Mayor McGlynn, elected to his eleventh term, called the election “very low key.”

“I think people are generally pleased with the direction the community is going…we’ve made some great strides forward,” said McGlynn.

McGlynn said his top priorities for his new term include breaking ground on several new developments at Station Landing and Rivers Edge and moving Medford Square revitalization along with the re-alignment of Clippership Drive.

Medford Square revitalization is also a key issue for the City Council.

Councilor Stephanie Muccini Burke, elected to her seventh term, said it will be a top priority for the Council.

“We’re very eager to see Medford Square come off the ground,” said Muccini Burke.

The School Committee, which could potentially have one new member, also has plenty to do once its new term begins in the winter of 2008.

School Committee member Paulette Van der Kloot, elected to her tenth term, said she is looking forward to completing the policy book and overseeing more high school improvements, such as new lockers and upgraded science labs.

Van der Kloot also said the Committee could possibly make some new hires to fill some of the positions that were left empty due to budget constraints, but declined to name specific positions.

More Election Results

The following results are preliminary and are subject to change:

Mayor
Mayor Michael McGlynn- 4,997

City Council
Paul Camuso- 4,148
Stephanie Muccini Burke- 3,991
Fred Dello Russo- 3,941
Michael Marks- 3,758
Robert Maiocco- 3,573
Robert Penta- 3,457
Breanna Lungo- 3,429
Mark Arena- 2,897
Brian Chamberlain- 1,901

School Committee
Ann Marie Cugno- 3,289
Lena DiGiantommaso- 2,990
Paulette Van der Kloot- 2,988
Fred Pompeo- 2,878
Robert Emmett Skerry- 2,860
William Brady- 2,833
William O’Keefe- 2,785
Bruce Kulik- 2,661
Lisa Attenazio- 2,073
Christopher D’aveta- 1,852