Voting Slow But Steady in Braintree as Heat Looms Over Senate Race

Temperatures climbed into the 80s quickly Tuesday morning and were forecast to hit 92 degrees by mid-afternoon, heating up residents as they ventured out for the special election for U.S. Senate and possibly boosting early voting numbers.

Some voters may have cast their ballots in the morning to avoid the heat, Town Clerk Joe Powers said. Students in grades K-9 were also released early on their last day of school and many parents picked them up at schools that double as polling places around midday Tuesday.

As of early afternoon, turnout in Braintree was trending toward 28 percent, significantly higher than the 22 percent overall turnout Powers predicted last week. 

Gabriel Gomez, a former Navy SEAL and Cohasset businessman, is facing off against U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Malden. Also on the ballot in Braintree is Twelve Visions Party candidate Richard A. Heos from Woburn.

Tune to Braintree Patch for local and state results.

Thunderstorms are also predicted to hit the area Wednesday night, but likely after polls close at 8 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

For a map of voting locations in Braintree, go to http://patch.com/A-m97q