Andrea Campbell: Topped field of candidates in District 4. Photo by Jennifer SmithPolitical newcomer Andrea Campbell scored an impressive debut victory in her challenge of longtime District 4 incumbent Charles Yancey on Tuesday in a preliminary election that was marred by a record-low turnout of voters.

The result, once certified by state election officials, will set up a two-way battle in November between Campbell and Yancey, who has faced multiple challengers over his 32-year career, but had never lost a preliminary contest. 

That changed Tuesday night, with unofficial results from all 32 precincts showing Campbell winning the top spot with 1,982 votes, or 57.9 percent, Yancey finishing second with 1,159, or 33.8 percent, followed by Terrence Williams at 217, and Jovan Lacet at 60.

Campbell credited her win to a robust effort that began last year. “We said we were going to run a true grassroots campaign,” she said, on her way to a post-election party at the Blarney Stone in Fields Corner. She thanked her volunteers and said they were already gearing up for the next leg: “We’ve still got a lot of work to do.”

In a post-election press release issued by her campaign, Campbell said that she had been the target of “rumors and negative campaign tactics her opposition is employing in an effort to impede her momentum.”

Later, at the Blarney Stone, she greeted her exuberant supporters. “Simply put, tonight we exceeded every expectation,” she said, “and we’ve been exceeding expectations since we kicked off this campaign in April.”

She dismissed suggestions that a 32-year incumbent could not be displaced or that residents were not engaged. “I expected a whispering campaign,” she said. “I expected lies about my policy positions, attacks on my motives as to why I decided to run. I expected some of these things, but I think that today and tonight it is abundantly clear that my neighbors in District 4 saw right through those lies. The people of Dorchester, Mattapan, Jamaica Plain, and Roslindale wanted something positive, they wanted something optimistic. They believed in something.”

Overall, Boston’s election day was a moribund affair, marked by the lowest turnout rate in recorded history — a 7.07 percent total turnout. Only two of the City Council districts were active, since there were not enough challengers outside of District 4 and 7 to trigger a run-off. There are only five candidates for the four at-large council seats – also not enough to necessitate a citywide preliminary.
In District 7, incumbent Tito Jackson swept the preliminary, racking up 66.38 percent of the vote. A distant second was Charles Clemons Jr. with 17.96 percent of the vote. The two will face off again in the November final election.

Polling stations in District 4 were sleepy throughout the day, but there were some places that were busier than others. One was the Groveland Community Room polling station in Ward 18, Precinct 1. As darkness fell at the location just off of River Street in Mattapan, voters wandered in one at a time or in groups of up to three. Several were confused, as their voting districts had changed in 2012.

A volunteer for Yancey’s campaign said at least nine voters had tried to cast ballots only to be sent off due to a wrong district assignment. Several voters expressed displeasure to the Reporter that they could no longer vote for Yancey after the redistricting.

Alvin Campbell, 35, the candidate’s older brother, dropped off three voters. Two of them, Antoinette Alcide, 78, and Joseph Alcide, 80, were unable to walk to their polling station and called the campaign for help. Their tenant, 41-year-old Stephen Dominguez, also joined them to vote. “We live in the neighborhood, and we can do something for the neighborhood,” Joseph Alcide said. “For many years, we’ve been voting for Yancey, but sometimes change is better.”

Precinct 18-1 saw 198 votes cast, and Campbell was neck and neck with Yancey, 45.45 percent to 43.94. Yancey’s home precinct, Codman Square Tech (17-3), fell to Campbell 73.41 percent to 22.62 percent. The highest percentage turnout was in precinct 17-9, Codman Square Apartments, with 21.3 percent of the vote and 187 ballots cast. Like all but one Ward 17 precinct — 17-7, Mildred Ave. School — it was a win for Campbell. Dorchester Academy in 17-4 had the highest total turnout, 254 votes.

In Ward 14, where only two precincts broke 100 voters, results were more mixed. Yancey’s most statistically significant win was in 14-3, the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School, where he claimed 60.27 percent of only 73 votes.

At just past 5 p.m., the pace began picking up slightly at the Lower Mills Branch of the Boston Public Library. Poll workers said the day had been slow, and by the end of the day, the Election Department reported 176 residents had voted in the precinct, with a 13.26 percent precinct turnout.

Campaigners for Yancey and Williams waited outside, flanked by posters for both candidates. Response was mixed from exiting voters.
Shontis Rivers, 32, and her husband Emil Rivers, 34, said they supported Yancey. The couple, who live on River Street, wanted consistency in their district. “He’s done a lot for the community over the years,” Emil Rivers said. Shontis said Campbell seemed like “a good person, but not the right fit.”

A newcomer to the neighborhood, 33-year-old Lori Greenwood said she liked the idea of a new face in her district. She was voting for Campbell, she said. “I really like what she has to say.” “I think she has a really good energy, and I feel like it’s maybe time for a change.”