Rep. John C. Velis dropped in on the results show with Mayor Brian P. Sullivan and Dennis Akins. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – Forty percent of registered voters — 9,978 out of 24,919 – turned out for the City of Westfield local elections, which included a competitive and close race for mayor and city council.
State Sen. Donald F. Humason, Jr. received 4,983 votes to his opponent Senior Police Capt. Michael A. McCabe’s 4,886 votes, a 97 vote difference.
Twelve candidates ran for seven at-large councilor seats. Incumbents Matthew Emmershy and Andrew K. Surprise were edged out, while one political newcomer, Kristen L. Mello, and two former councilors were elected.
The at-large elected councilors in order of votes received were: Brent B. Bean, II, 5,039; Dan Allie, 4,763; James R. Adams, 4,427; Cindy C. Harris, 4,304; Richard K. Sullivan, Jr., 3,997; Kristen L. Mello, 3,789; and Dave Flaherty, 3,749.
At-large candidates not elected were Andrew K. Surprise, 3,678; Matt Emmershy, 3,666; Rudy F. Musterait, 3,599; Matthew T. VanHeynigen, 3,442; and Dan Moriarty, 2,697.
Ward 1 candidate, At-large Councilor Nicholas J. Morganelli, Jr. defeated Ward 1 Councilor Mary Ann Babinski by 55 votes, 960 to 905.
Ward 2 Councilor Ralph J. Figy defeated Ward 2 Candidate Juan F. Navarrete, 577 to 356.
Ward 3 candidate Bridget Matthews-Kane earned 1,074 votes in an uncontested race for the ward seat.
Ward 4 Councilor Michael J. Burns kept his seat, receiving 946 votes to 715 votes for former Ward 4 Councilor Mary L. O’Connell.
At-large Councilor John J. Beltrandi, III took the Ward 5 seat from incumbent Leslie D. Lefebvre, with 772 to 210 votes.
At-Large City Councilor Dan Allie reads election results from a chart Nov. 5 at East Mountain Country Club. (Photo by Hope E. Tremblay)
Ward 6 Councilor William J. Onyski retained his seat, fending off challenger Jeffrey A. Neece, 938 votes to 601.
There were four candidates running for three seats on the School Committee. Top vote recipient was Diane Mayhew at 5,476 votes; Ramon Diaz, Jr. received 5,200; and Bo Sullivan had 5,195 votes. Candidate and former School Committee member Jeffrey L. Gosselin received 4, 209 votes.
In the Municipal Light Board Ward 1 race, incumbent Kevin M. Kelleher defeated Luis Morales, 1,224 to 388. In Ward 2, Ray Rivera ran undefeated, earning 764 votes. Ward 3 incumbent Dawn M. Renaudette received 601 votes to 484 for challenger Robert F. Brogle.
Ward 4 incumbent Francis L. Liptak also ran uncontested and received 1,304 votes; as did Ward 5 incumbent Thomas P. Flaherty, Sr., who received 1,606 votes. MLB Ward 6 incumbent Robert C. Sacco defeated challenger Jason Bean, 786 to 728 votes.
Kathleen A. Knapik, the sole candidate for a six-year term as Athenaeum Trustee, received 7,499 votes.
