Dozens of incumbents feel voters’ Election Day wrath

Across the region at least 34 officials were unseated, and a number of others escaped defeat by only slim margins.

Among those bounced from office was Woburn Mayor Thomas L. McLaughlin, whose quest for a third term was foiled by Alderman Scott D. Galvin. Lynn Mayor Edward J. Clancy Jr. also was defeated, though Clancy was mulling a recount last week after finishing 27 votes behind City Councilor Judith Flanagan Kennedy.

About 32 others - including 31 city councilors and School Committee members and one selectman - also were ousted. Included were four each in Lawrence and Lowell; three in Haverhill, Medford, and Methuen; two in Everett, Melrose, Revere, and Saugus; and one each in Beverly, Chelsea, Lynn, Newburyport, Peabody, Somerville, and Woburn. In all, 21 cities and towns held their biennial balloting.

Tuesday marked a bad day for a number of high-profile incumbents outside the region, including mayors in Brockton, North Adams, Westfield, and Worcester.

Carol A. Donovan, a former state representative from Woburn, said she thinks general unrest among recession-weary voters may explain part of the poor showing by incumbents.

“The economy is not good,’’ she said. “Even if they haven’t lost their jobs, [people] may have had their hours reduced. I think in times like that, people look to somebody to blame. And I think the easiest targets are people who hold elective office. . . I think basically people are just not happy.’’

In some cases those in office took for granted that they would prevail over challengers and didn’t get their messages out, said Donovan, who is also a member of the Democratic State Committee.

Even as they tossed out some office-holders, voters rejected changes proposed in several ballot questions. Measures to overhaul Saugus’ form of government, scrap Malden’s trash fee, suspend a school contraception policy in Revere, and adopt a new voting system for city elections in Lowell all failed. Everett and Methuen voters approved questions to establish charter commissions and elected members of those panels.

“I just think it’s a tough time to be an incumbent,’’ said Jeff Newhall, who lost his bid for a fifth term on the Lynn School Committee, finishing seventh by 64 votes in a race for six seats, and was considering requesting a recount last week. “Times are tough. Money is short. Tough decisions have to be made. . . . I think people who stood strong and made difficult decisions struggled [in Tuesday’s election]. Some won, some lost.’’

McLaughlin could not put his finger on what led to his defeat, saying he was reluctant to blame it on a general anti-incumbent mood.

“I just think the voters that did come out were looking for change, and I’m not sure what the change is or needs to be. But clearly I think we have to at least take that from the results,’’ he said.

William J. Brady, who had served on the Medford School Committee for about 20 years, was among three members of the panel to lose their seats in Tuesday’s election.

“People were just looking for change, and unfortunately we were on the wrong end of it,’’ he said. “There were no issues, really. The schools are running well, and we have new schools.’’

Robert Emmett Skerry, one of other defeated Medford School Committee members, blamed his loss on the changing age demographics in town, noting that the three successful challengers all have young families.

“I could see it this summer as I was going door to door,’’ he said. “The makeup of the city has changed. The old families are gone.’’

Joseph M. Spinale was one of two at-large members of the Melrose School Committee defeated in a six-way race for three seats.

“I just think people, not only in Melrose but all around Massachusetts, were unhappy with what was going on,’’ he said.

Saugus Selectman Stephen L. Castinetti lost his bid for reelection when he finished sixth in an 11-way race for five seats. He said he thought his role in chairing the board’s liquor license hearings earned him political heat that may have hurt him at the polls.

“I’ve been the focal point for the most contentious and emotional issues that have faced the board this year,’’ Castinetti said, speculating that his unpopular stances on some issues - including his opposition to rolling back the hours of liquor establishments - may have cost him votes.

Mike McGonagle lost a bid for a second term on the Haverhill City Council when he finished 10th in a race for nine seats.

Noting that he had finished fifth out of 20 candidates in the preliminary, McGonagle concluded he fell short in the final by not campaigning hard enough.

“I think I was a steady councilor and a pretty reliable colleague to my fellow councilors,’’ he said. “I just think I didn’t get my message out there.’’

Globe correspondent Travis Andersen contributed to this report.