Newton Special Election 2018 Marijuana, Ballot Questions, Results

NEWTON, MA — One of the big questions for Newton as voters braved the rain and puddles Tuesday was what will happen with the recreational marijuana establishments? Late Tuesday night they had an answer. Newton voters rejected a proposed ban on recreational marijuana shops. They also poopooed limiting the number of shops to 2-4, according to unofficial Election Night results.

This means, per state law Newton at least eight retail marijuana stores (equivalent to no fewer than 20 percent of Newton's liquor stores) will be permitted to set up shop before local officials can reject new ones. In 2016, about 54 percent of Newton voters supported the statewide ballot measure that legalized marijuana.

By the numbers in Newton:

Everything else on Election Day in Newton

In Tuesday's election Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Gov. Charlie Baker swept the state. That came as no big surprise. But how did Newton vote? Warren sailed to victory in Newton with 30,480 votes cast for her compared with 8,238 for challenger Geoff Diehl.

As for Baker? Much like the rest of the state, Newton wanted the Republican to stick around. But the race was a bit closer. Ultimately Baker secured the votes of 22,375 Newton voters to Gonzales' 17,475. Ward 1, precinct 2, Ward 4 precinct 2, Ward 6 precinct 3, all preferred Gonzales.

So what about the ballot questions? >> Read more Election 2018 Ballot Questions: How MA Voted

The most talked about in the state leading up to the election was Question 1, which asked whether nurses should be limited as to how many patients they care for. It turned out the Commonwealth - as well as the Garden City - was not keen to have government regulate that. Newton rejected the idea of limiting patient-nurse ratios on Question 1 by 27,729 to 9,011.

On Question 2: about whether a commission should be set up to look into regulating businesses passed in the state as it did here —30,801 to 7,552.

Which leads us to Question 3. Should the state keep a 2016 law that added "gender identity" to a list of protected people? Across the city 32,351 people or 83.19 percent of the voters chose yes, and only 6,539 or 16.81 percent voted no.

By way of comparison: In Brookline, 21,554 voters, or 88 percent of those voting chose yes, whereas 2,940 voted no, or 12 percent of voters. In Waltham, 15,271 people, or 72.30 percent of those who voted chose yes on 3. 5,850 or 27.70 percent of voters said no.

RELATED:

• Where will pot shops be in Newton if the ban doesn't pass?
• Election 2018: Newton Voters' Guide

Related Coverage: Newton To Take Up Marijuana Questions

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff