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Baker Swamps Coakley, Wins 54% of Groton Vote

Groton voters followed to the letter statewide voting trends for national and state offices and ballot questions and also gave a ringing endorsement on the local level to incumbent State Representative Sheila Harrington. Groton voters were in step with voters statewide as they voted to give the governorship to Republican candidate Charlie Baker but voted by comfortable margins for Democratic candidates for national and state offices. Groton voters were also in step with statewide voters in rejecting changes to the state's casino gaming law, rejecting the practice of automatically increasing the tax on gasoline based on the Consumer Price Index and rejecting an expansion of the state bottle bill law. Groton voters did support adoption of providing mandatory sick leave for employees of companies with more than 10 employees.

The hotly contested race for Governor of Massachusetts was apparently won by Republican candidate Charlie Baker who narrowly won a plurality of votes in the state. Democratic candidate Martha Coakley had not yet conceded the race at press time. In Groton, voters gave Baker a comfortable margin as he received 2,429 votes (54 percent of the vote) to 1,746 (39 percent) received by Coakley.

Beyond the Governor's race, voters statewide and locally supported Democratic candidates for offices at the national level and state level. Groton voters expressed a preference for Ed Markey for U.S. Senate by giving him 2,356 (52 percent of the vote) to 1,915 (42 percent of the vote) to Republican challenger Brian Helm. Statewide, Markey won by a larger margin with 60 percent of the vote.

In the Third CongressionaL District (which includes Groton), Groton voters and district voters gave Nikki Tsongas an overwhelming victory and reelected her to the U.S. House. Groton voters gave Tsongas 2,603 (58 percent of the vote) to 1,686 (37 percent of the vote) received by Republican challenger Roseann Wofford.

For statewide offices, Groton voters (along with statewide voters) expressed a preference for Democratic candidates. Groton voters gave a majority of votes to Democrat Maura Healy for Attorney General, William Galvin for Secretary of State and Deb Goldberg for Treasurer.

Locally, Groton voters overwhelmingly voted to reelect Sheila Harrington to another term in state House of Representatives. Harrington received 2,854 (63 percent of the vote) to 1,367 (30 percent of the vote) received by Democratic challenger Gene Rauhala.

Again, step in step with statewide voters, Groton voters rejected proposed changes in current law or practices in regards to casinos, expanding the bottle bill and indexing tax increases on gasoline purchases. The one exception was Question Four where local voters approved a change in practice to allow mandatory paid sick time for employees in companies with more than 10 employees. On Question One, Groton voters approved the proposal to eliminate an annual automatic increase on the purchase of gasoline. The Yes vote received 2,430 votes to 1,817 No votes (which would have allowed automatic tax hikes on gasoline).

On Question Two, Groton voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to expand the state's bottle bill which would have required deposits on drink containers other than soda and beer. The No vote in Groton received 3,064 votes to 1,289 Yes votes (which would have expanded the bottle bill. On Question Three, Groton voters (like statewide voters) rejected a proposal to prohibit casinos in the state. The No vote in Groton on eliminating casinos received 2,493 votes to 1,852 Yes votes (which would have prohibited casinos in the state.)

While the margin of victory on Question Four was closer than on the other Ballot Questions, Groton voters and statewide voters approved a proposal to provide mandatory paid sick time for employees. Groton voters supported the Yes votes with 2,348 to 1,927 No votes (which would not have allowed for paid sick time).

According to the Town Clerk's Office, 4512 voters went to the polls in Groton which represented 58 percent of registered voters in town. Once again voters in Precinct One led the turnout with 61 percent of voters going to the polls.

Groton Herald

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 610, Groton, Massachusetts 01450
 

Office
145 Main Street, Groton, Massachusetts 014510
[Prescott Community Center]
 

Telephone: 978-448-6061
 

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