Voting off to Slow Start in Braintree Tuesday Morning

Voters trickled to the polls in Braintree early Tuesday morning, casting ballots on their way to work or while dropping their children off at school.

At Flaherty School, only seven people had voted by 7:45 a.m. Another seven had submitted absentee ballots. Morrison School had seen only 16 voters by the same time, and about an hour after the polls opened at St. Thomas More 29 people had marked ballots.

Town Clerk Joe Powers predicted 20 percent turnout for this election, citing a lack of engagement among residents because there are few competitive races.

One of those races is in District 4, with voters going to the polls at Morrison and East Middle School. Frank Boncaldo, a candidate for the district council seat, said he wished more voters were showing up. He faces Stephen O'Brien in an open race after Henry Joyce decided to retire following the current term.

Joyce held signs for Boncaldo and School Committee write-in candidate Andrew McInnis Tuesday morning outside East. O'Brien's wife Valeria was outside Morrison and O'Brien stood at the middle school.

"I'm excited," O'Brien said. "I've been knocking on a ton of doors."

Over at Ross School, Councilor-at-Large Sean Powers' parents Buddy and Leslie said that they have been holding signs for their son every weekend, and every two years since Powers began running for office.

They will spend 10 hours at Ross Tuesday, but said they understand why people often do not show up to the polls. "People are focused on how they are paying their bills," Leslie Powers said.

Powers is in a four-way race for three Councilor-at-Large seats with Shannon Hume, Charles Ryan and John Carvello. Hume and Ryan were outside Ross early Tuesday holding campaign signs as parents dropped off and walked their children to school.

Brian Richardson, a Hume supporter who posed for a picture with the candidate and her son Noel, said he has known Hume, the chair of the School Committee, for a long time and knows she will give her full attention and abilities to the town.

"She's the right person for the job," Richardson said. "She takes Braintree very seriously."

Ryan said he voted right at 7 a.m. at St. Thomas More and then set up at Ross to catch the morning rush. He expressed optimism about his chances in the only formally competitive town-wide race.

"I've worked had for the campaign," Ryan said. "I have a lot of nice people working for me."

George Kokoros, a write-in candidate for a four-year School Committee seat, said he was excited for election day as he pulled away from St. Thomas More in his truck, ready to hit another polling location.

"We worked hard and we'll see how it works out," Kokoros said. "It's great fun. This is what it's all about."

Kokoros and McInnis join Steven Quigley as write-in candidates. There are three open four-year School Committee seats and just two nominated candidates, incumbent David Ringius, Jr. and Cyril Chafe. Kate Naughton is the only person running for the two-year committee seat.

Outside Morrison, Brendan McMullin, Mike Gabriel and Joe Boncaldo spoke about why it is important to vote, especially in a local election. Braintree officials will create and change policies that will have a large impact on their families and their children.

"It's important whose in office," McMullin said. "People are making decisions that directly affect your kids."

For more information about the election, including all candidates on the ballot and where to vote, visit our Braintree Election Center. And stay tuned for more Braintree Patch coverage.