Incumbents coast in rare Thursday primary

The few incumbents in Boston who faced primary challengers fended them off in a rare Thursday election. Just over 10 percent of voters turned out to cast ballots.

Embattled state Rep. Carlos Henriquez, running the Democratic primary, coasted to a win with 1,343 votes, according to an unofficial tally on the Boston Elections Department’s website.

There were 134 write-in votes, according to the site.

Frequent candidate Althea Garrison waged a last-minute write-in campaign, sending a letter to residents asking for their vote and slamming Henriquez over his arrest on kidnapping and assault charges. Henriquez has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is due back in court later this month.

Garrison is on the November ballot, running against Henriquez as an independent.

“I thought it was less about me and more about the residents,” Henriquez, who represents parts of Dorchester and Roxbury, said in a phone interview Thursday night. “And I think their vote today showed my commitment to community.”

District 1 City Councillor Sal LaMattina, who was looking to take the vacant job of Suffolk County Register of Probate, lost the Democratic primary to fellow East Bostonian Patty Campatelli despite extensive support from his colleagues on the City Council.

No Republicans are on the ballot for Suffolk Register of Probate in November.

Suffolk Criminal Clerk of Courts Maura Hennigan beat back a primary challenge from past opponent Robert Dello Russo by 7,500 votes.

State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, a Jamaica Plain Democrat who represents parts of Dorchester and Mattapan, picked up 8,875 votes to perennial candidate Roy Owen's 1771 votes.

More results are available here.

Developing…


Subscribe to the Dorchester Reporter