Waltham Elections 2017 Results: Incumbents Didn't Sweep It All

WALTHAM, MA — Polls were open til 8 p.m. in Waltham. And it was a chilly one out there, but it didn't put a damper on the numbers at the polls. Some 8,953 of the 34,073 people registered to vote exercised their right to vote - or 26 percent of the voter population. [Editor's Note: Thanks to a reader's keen eye we've fixed the mix up on the figure. 35,554 was the number of votes cast for city council]

The At-Large race had 11 in the running for six seats. The question was would the newcomers oust the incumbents? The answer to that question, largely no. Of the six incumbents in the race for the At-Large-Council seats only Tom Stanley managed to edge out Patrick O'Brien. At the end of the night O'Brien had 3180 votes, to Stanley's 4,145. The top vote-getter of the night was Randy LeBlanc who had 5,126 votes, 981 ahead of Stanley and 1,003 ahead of Diane LeBlanc.

Incumbents mostly cleaned up across the board but a few newcomers made inroads in wards 5, 7, and 8, like Kristine Mackin who pushed out Ward 7's Joe Giordano. In Ward 8 Cathyann Harris came on board in a close race just 58 votes ahead of John Qualters.

How'd voting go?

Earlier in the day in Ward 5, Joey LaCava (who won in a tight race against his opponent) and Christina Montgomery were out bright and early in front of the old elementary School braving the chilly weather in the hopes of getting a couple more votes, waving with smiles on their faces as friends and families held signs along with them.

As of 3:30 p.m. the some 643 people had walked into the building behind them to vote.

"Lunch? What's that?" LaCava said of his day. He snuck in a sandwich somewhere in the day, he said. While Montgomery said she popped home a couple of times where bagels and pizza were on tap for family and volunteers.

Inside, a Fitzgerald Elementary School bake sale for the fifth graders had also been under way since the polls opened at 7 a.m. and the Cacace family had held down the fort at the table there watching folks come and go.

"We've made $335, so far," said fifth grader Skyla Cacace who'd been helping to man the bake sale station all day.

Her mother Katie Cacace said the money would go toward the fifth grade gifts for graduation and a year book and most likely toward funds for a field trip to Boston. Her third grader, Sam, was also there helping out.

"It was slow at the beginning but we've gotten rid of most of it," said Sam. The baked goods, like the homemade banana bread were the first and fastest to go, she said.

Over at the high school a group of sophomores, including sophomore mascot (not in costume) were set up at a table until just after 3 p.m. with a bake sale of their own. They'd managed to make just about $300 by 2:45 p.m. It's money that will go toward dances and field trips said Muriel Dole. The fastest to go at their table? Homemade Italian cookies made by Karina Diaz (the proud mascot).

Sophia Noel said they'd started the bake sale at 9 a.m. and were impressed with the generosity of those who stopped by. Not everyone was taking the baked goods, some folks were just donating money, or leaving the change.

"Good job exercising your right to vote," said Muriel thanking two women who donated and walked out.

Those women marked the 485th and 486th to vote at the Ward 1, precinct 2 location.

"We're not breaking any records today, but it's a nice healthy turnout," said Candi Sergi over at the Warden's table.

Next door at Kennedy Middle School Ward 2, precinct 2 had about 152 voters cast ballots by 3 p.m. and some 384 in Ward 2 precinct 1. On the table outside the voting room? Of course a table with baked goods.

Here's the scoop on who was running: Waltham Elections: Who was running?

Photos by Jenna Fisher/Patch