Boston voters will decide right now whether or not Mayor Michelle Wu will get a largely free experience in her second time period on the do-nothing, dysfunctional metropolis council.
One of many main questions heading into an anticipated low turnout Election Day is can Wu save one among her stalwart supporters on the council, at-large incumbent Henry Santana, who’s in peril of slipping out of the operating. She is making a frantic, last-minute push to boost cash and votes for Santana, a former aide who completed fourth within the preliminary election.
And, can Wu probably pull a double victory by saving Santana’s bacon whereas ousting one among her nemeses, at-large Councilor Erin Murphy?
That may be a significant feat for the soon-to-be-second time period mayor, who herself is unopposed on the poll.
Murphy completed a strong third within the voting within the preliminary election and would seemingly be a tricky out within the normal. She is difficult working and has locked up assist within the vote-rich Dorchester-West Roxbury-South Boston axis.
One other Election Day query is whether or not former Mayor Marty Walsh can efficiently carry up Frank Baker, a six-term Dorchester district councilor making a comeback bid within the at-large race.
In September, Santana completed only a few thousand votes forward of fifth place finisher Baker, a conservative who can be fashionable in his dwelling neighborhood and extra average areas of town like West Roxbury. Baker is also being supported by state Sen. Nick Collins.
The Wu-Walsh combat is likely one of the main sideshows in Tuesday’s election. Baker could be a significant thorn in Wu’s aspect if he finishes in one of many prime 4 positions in Tuesday’s voting. If he goes down, count on extra of the identical from subsequent 12 months’s council, which didn’t precisely distinguish itself in 2025.
How low will the turnout be, is one other key query. As a result of Wu is unopposed, that ought to suppress turnout amongst progressives and harm the probabilities of liberal candidates like Santana.
However Wu has her subject operation geared as much as forestall Baker and Murphy from benefitting from a low turnout contest.
Baker would be part of Councilors Ed Flynn, John Fitzgerald and Murphy as one of many solely Wu dissenters on the council. Flynn is predicted to simply roll to a different time period in his South Boston district. The remainder of the council are all Wu flunkies who largely at all times associate with her priorities.
Council President Ruthzee Louijeune is predicted to win the highest spot within the at-large voting, however she is barred by time period limits from in search of one other 12 months as council president. The jockeying for the following council president has already begun.
The Boston metropolis council has little energy below town constitution, however can vote up or down on the mayor’s finances.
The council president is probably the most coveted seat as a result of that particular person turns into appearing mayor if Wu decides to maneuver on to the personal sector or seeks one other workplace like U.S. Senate.
One other at-large candidate, Alexandra Valdez, who’s being supported by Wu and Walsh, additionally has an opportunity to crack the highest 4.
Coming in fifth in metropolis council races shouldn’t be meaningless. Whoever finishes fifth within the at-large race could be vaulted to the council ought to one of many members of the council transfer on.
Wu additionally has her eye on Tuesday evening on New York Metropolis, the place mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a socialist who has known as Wu his position mannequin, is predicted to win.
Mamdani has known as on New York to make all buses free, have city-run grocery shops and is proposing different free stuff as a part of his socialist agenda, which Wu has largely additionally embraced.
