WORCESTER—It was a steady stream all day and evening as Worcester voters turned out in full force on Tuesday for one of the most contentious presidential elections in modern history.
Worcester City Clerk Nikolin Vangjeli confirmed that residents cast 65,545 ballots. With 118,914 registered voters in Worcester, that represents 55% voter turnout.
Perhaps surprisingly, turnout dipped from the 2020 presidential election, when Worcester saw an unprecedented 65% of its then 111,318 registered voters head to the polls.
The Associated Press officially declared Donald Trump the winner just before 6 a.m. Wednesday after he secured victories in key swing states, including North Carolina, Wisconsin, Nevada and Georgia.
Meanwhile, Worcester voted for Kamala Harris (62.62% of Worcester, 61.6% statewide), matching Massachusetts’ long-standing Democratic lean. Trump pulled in 34.60% of the Worcester vote, in line with Massachusetts voting for the ticket at 36.4%
Worcester kept Elizabeth Warren, D-Cambridge, as senator in Congress with 64.78% of the vote over John Deaton, R-Swansea who had 34.87% of the vote.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-Worcester, who has represented Massachusetts’ District 2 since 2013, easily secured significant local support in Worcester, winning 73.91% of the vote to hold his seat in Congress against challenger Cornelius Shea, I-Shrewsbury, 25.57%.
Paul M. DePalo, D-Worcester, secured 71.20% of the vote to secure a term as Councilor, defeating Andrew J. Couture, R-Fitchburg, 28.44%.
Kathryn Toomey, D-Worcester, also won reelection, winning 96.60% of the vote to retain her position as Register of Deeds. Other candidates up for reelection were state Sen. Robyn Kennedy, D-Worcester, who captured 96.56% of the vote. Kennedy, who championed the Early Ed Act, will remain the senator in General Court.
In addition, John Mahoney, D-Worcester, won reelection, capturing 96.87% of the vote and will remain the Representative in General Court. Mahoney says that economic development, education and transportation will be at the forefront of his focus in his next term, including the expansion of commuter trains and express services.
He added, “A big part of my job is helping people who have trouble navigating their way around government services.” As for a challenge in his role, he said “Keeping the momentum up. We’ve been on a good path so I’d like to see it continue.”
A majority of Worcester residents (63.68%) voted yes on question 2 on the ballot, regarding whether or not students should be required to pass the “Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests (or other statewide or district-wide assessments) in mathematics, science and technology, and English in order to receive a high school diploma,” had been hotly debated by city councilors and residents in previous council meetings.
Additionally, a majority of Worcester residents (55.43%) voted no on question 5, which proposed a law that would “require employers to continue to pay tipped workers the difference between the state minimum wage and the total amount a tipped worker receives in hourly wages plus tips through the end of 2028. The proposed law would also permit employers to calculate this difference over the entire weekly or bi-weekly payroll period.”
Local residents had strong opinions about how the city can improve going forward.
“To improve Worcester, they should lower the business tax rate to encourage business, and reopen the state hospital,” said Worcester resident Joseph LaConte. “It was a mistake to close it.”
Some residents were also asked about what they felt was most important to them in this election.
“Two of the most important issues I voted on are women’s rights and social security,” said Worcester resident Edward Williams. “As an elderly man who has daughters, these two hit home for me.”
He added, “Senator Warren and Rep. McGovern have always stood out to me as I believe they are part of our voices in our community, allowing us to be heard at all government levels. They have fought for us for a very long time and I trust them to do what’s best for us.”
Around 3:30 p.m. at Congregation Beth Israel, which encompasses precincts 1-1, 1-4 and 9-5, a light but steady stream of people filed into the polling location. David Rushford, retired Worcester city clerk, has served as the location’s warden for the last three years.
“We’ve had a steady stream all through the three precincts here,” Rushford told the Worcester Guardian. “It’s the only triple location in the city, so we have a big staff, and we have volunteers from Holy Cross College, South High, and Doherty High. It was a really busy morning. It’s going smoothly. The weather helps. But elections are really complicated now. You’ve got absentee ballots, early voting, mail-in voting, and Election Day voting, so it’s like four elections in one cycle. Different rules and timetables apply to each. I don’t envy anyone who has to deal with it.”
As mostly local registered voters filed into the synagogue, a small group of visitors from Sweden and Norway happened upon the election scene. The group is in Worcester to learn from Genesis House about best practices for running a clubhouse for mental health.
“We came here to train with Genesis House, but we wanted to see what the United States elections were like while we are here,” said Romina Yttesen from Norway. “[The voting process] is very much like in Norway. It’s like being home. We hear a lot about the U.S. election in Norway; constantly for the last three months. We feel very much a part of it because it’s important for the world. It’s almost like Norway is having an election, too. It’s not like this with any other country; only the United States.”
At Shaw’s in Webster Square, handling voters from precinct 3, warden Michael Comer reported around 700 voters by 5 p.m. Tuesday, with a long line forming.
“It’s been a steady stream all day,” Comer said.
How Worcester voted: city-specific election results:
U.S. President
- Kamala Harris and Tim Walz: 62.36% Worcester
- Winner-Donald Trump and JD Vance: 34.60% Worcester
- Shiva Ayyadurai and Crystal Ellis: 0.56%
- Claudia de la Cruz and Karina Garcia: 0.58%
- Oliver Chase and Michael ter Maat: 0.41%
- Jill Stein and Gloria Caballero-Roca: 0.94%
U.S. Senate
- Winner-Elizabeth Warren: 64.53% Worcester
- John Deaton: 35.13% Worcester
U.S. House of Representatives
Massachusetts 2nd District
- Winner-James McGovern: 73.72% Worcester
- Cornelius Shea: 25.76% Worcester
Massachusetts Senate
First Worcester District
- Winner-Robyn K. Kennedy: 96.56% Worcester
Second Worcester District
- Winner-Michael O. Moore: 96.07% Worcester
Worcester and Hampshire District
- Peter J. Durant: 42.78% Worcester
- Sheila H. Dibb: 57.05% Worcester
Massachusetts State Representatives
7th District
- Winner-Daniel M. Donahue: 96.27% Worcester
13th Worcester District
- Winner-John J. Mahoney: 96.87% Worcester
14th Worcester District
- Winner-James J. O’Day: 96.43% Worcester
15th Worcester District
- Winner-Mary S. Keefe: 96.11% Worcester
17th Worcester District
- Winner-David Henry Argosky LaBoeuf: 95.24% Worcester
Councillor 7th District
- Paul M. DePalo: 71.04% Worcester
- Andrew J. Couture: 28.5% Worcester
Clerk of Courts
- Winner – Dennis McManus: 96.49% Worcester
Register of Deeds
- Winner – Kathryn Toomey: 96.58% Worcester
Ballot questions results:
How Worcester voted
- Auditing the Legislature: Yes: 72.78%, No: 27.22%; passed statewide at 71.5% Yes to 28.5% No
- MCAS Graduation Requirement: Yes: 63.61%, No: 36.39%; passed statewide 59% Yes to 41% No
- Unionizing Rideshare Drivers: Yes: 62.73%, No: 37.27%; passed statewide 54% Yes to 46% No
- Legalizing Psychedelic Drugs: No: 54.12%, Yes: 45.88%; rejected statewide 55% No to 43% Yes
- Raising Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers: No: 55.63%, Yes: 44.37%; rejected statewide 64.1% No to 35.9% Yes
For complete results, go here.
Check back here for live updates. The Worcester Guardian will keep you posted with the latest results as they come in.
As the Worcester Guardian marks a year of delivering free, independent digital news to our city, our dedication to this mission strengthens. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to support our ongoing commitment to providing hyperlocal news coverage to Worcester. Scroll to the bottom of our home page to sign up for our daily newsletter
