Newton Elections 2019: What To Know, Candidates, Polling Places

NEWTON, MA — Tuesday is Election Day in Newton. So get ready for those "I voted" sticker and plan to head off to go do your civic duty and vote. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

In 2017 there were 59,111 registered voters, of those 24,910 voted (42.14 percent). But that year, 2017, also included a hotly contested mayoral race. This year, there's no mayoral race but there are 16 at-large and eight ward city council seats up for election. This year there are 60,532 registered voters in Newton, according to City Clerk David Olson, who expects to see about 25 percent of voters show up.

"It's well below what we might expect for a mayoral election, but better than a preliminary, but it's not 100 percent," he said.

The races to watch are city-wide contests for Councilor At Large seats in Ward 2, Ward 3, Ward 5, Ward 6. There are also contests for ward councilors for wards 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6. But only folks from those wards can vote there.

Then there are the races for School Committee, which is also a city-wide vote. Eight seats are up for grabs on the School Committee and 11 candidates are running. But the only contests are in wards 4, 5 and 6. In two of those, the incumbents have to step down because they've been term limited out. In Ward 6, Galina Rosenblit is taking on incumbent and chair of the school committee Ruth Goldman.

There are several groups endorsing a platform of candidates, and at least one advocating for bullet voting, or only voting for the candidates who support their ideals, even if there are two seats open and two votes available, as with the at-large race.

It doesn't give someone else a vote for that race, but does it really give them a better chance? "Maybe," said Olson "It depends on how many people join."

Olson said no one has to vote for two people, if they only want to vote for one.

"You have the option to vote for up to two candidates, you can vote for one, you can vote to none, it's still a democracy," he said. "You don't have to vote for everyone... just vote."

Councilors at large:

Citywide Vote. Voters choose two.

• Ward 1: (no challengers)
  • Allan Ciccone *
  • Alison Leary*
• Ward 2:
  • Jake Auchncloss*
  • Susan Albright, *
  • Tarik Lucas,
  • Jennifer Bentley
• Ward 3:
  • Pam Wright
  • Andrea Kelley*
  • James Cote *
• Ward 4: (no challengers)
  • Lenny Gentile *
  • Josh Krintzman *
• Ward 5:
  • Andreae Downs *
  • Paul Coletti
  • Deb Crossley *
• Ward 6:
  • Alicia Bowman
  • Greg Schwartz*
  • Victoria Danberg*
• Ward 7: (no challenge)
  • Marc Laredo*
  • Becky Walker Grossman*
• Ward 8: (no challenge)
  • David Kalis*
  • Rick Lipof*

Ward councilors:

Pick one from your ward.

In Ward 1:

• Allan Ciccone,
• Maria Greenberg*

Ward 2:

• Emily Norton*
• Bryan Barash

Ward 3:

• Carolina Ventura
• Julia Malakie

Ward 4: (No challengers)

• Chris Markiewicz*

Ward 5: (Councilor John Rice is not running for re-election).

• Bill Humphrey
• Rena Getz (write in)
• Kathryn Winters

Note: Getz was technically eliminated in the Sept. Preliminary, but she's running as a write in.

Ward 6:

• Lisa Gordon,
• Brenda Noel*

Ward 7: (no challengers)

• R. Lisle Baker*

Ward 8: (no challengers)

• Holly Ryan

* indicates incumbent

School Committee:

Ward 4's Diana Fisher Gomberg and Ward 5's Steven Siegel have both served the maximum number of terms and won't be running again.

Ward 1: Not contested

• Bridget Ray-Canada*

Ward 2: Not contested

• Margaret L. Albright*

Ward 3: Not contested.

• Anping Shen*

Ward 4: Diana Fisher Gomberg is not running.

• Alex Koifman
• Tamika Olszewski

Ward 5: Steven Siegel is stepping down.

• Emily Prenner
• Lev Agranovich

Ward 6:

• Galina Rosenblit
• Ruth Goldman *

Ward 7: Not contested

• Kathleen Shields*

Ward 8:

• Matthew B. Miller*

Polling Places

You can verify your Ward and Precinct online before heading out to vote. You can also use the searchable map to find your Ward and Precinct. And if you're not sure if you're actually registered to vote? Check the state website here (Am I registered to vote?) and if you are, they'll let you know where to go to vote, and who your current elected officials are.

More on Newton Elections:

• Newton Election Calendar 2019: What To Know About Election
• Ward 5 Residents To Head To The Polls Sept. 10
• Humphrey, Winters Win Preliminary Election In Newton's Ward 5
• Got A Newton Election Related Letter To The Editor?
• Newton's Biggest Issue, According To City Council Candidates