Low Somerville turnout sticks with incumbents

Globe Staff

With just 21 percent voter turnout at the polls, incumbents retained all four at-large seats on the Board of Alderman in yesterday's election.

Incumbents in wards 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 also will return to the board, while Mayor Joe Curtatone ran unopposed for reelection.

The only newcomer to the Board of Alderman will be Tony Lafuente, who beat Christine Barber to fill the Ward 4 seat vacated by Walter Pero, who chose not to seek reelection.

Robert Trane won reelection in Ward 7, narrowly defeating challenger Katjana Ballantyne by  40 votes, 1,068 votes to 1,028, according to unofficial results.

In Ward 3, Alderman Thomas Taylor beat challenger Stephen Delani, 892 votes to 232, according to unofficial results.

The at-large incumbents who were reelected include William White, Dennis Sullivan, John Connolly, and Bruce Desmond.

Unofficial Vote Totals (winners are in bold, incumbents marked with "I")
Source: The City of Somerville

Alderman-at-large
John M. Connolly Jr. -- 4,487 (I)
Bruce M. Desmond -- 4,068 (I)
Dennis Michael Sullivan -- 4560 (I)
William A. White -- 4,578 (I)
Todd E. Easton -- 3,032
Sean J. Fitzgerald -- 3600
Michael D. Nionakis -- 2,182
Write-in -- 130
Blank -- 9,647

Ward 1
Alderman
William A. Roche -- 733 (I)
Write-in -- 12
Blank -- 113

School Committee
Maureen Bastardi -- 639 (I)
Write-in -- 14
Blank -- 204

Ward 2
Alderman
Maryann M. Heuston -- 593 (I)
Write in -- 33
Blank -- 146

School Committee
M. Teresa Cardoso -- 583 (I)
Write-in -- 13
Blank -- 176

Ward Three

Alderman
Thomas F. Taylor -- 892 (I)

School Committee
Adam W. Sweeting -- 872 (I)
Write-in -- 18
Blank -- 354

Ward Four
Alderman
Christine P. Barber -- 623
Tony La Fuente -- 857
Write-In -- 2
Blank -- 32

School Committee
Christine Theberge Rafal -- 1029
Write-In -- 29
Blank -- 456

Ward Five
Alderman
Sean T. O'Donovan -- 908
Write-in -- 48
Blank -- 335

School Committee
Mark Niedergang -- 886
Write-in -- 42
Blank -- 363

Ward six
Alderman
Rebekah L. Gewirtz -- 993
Write-in -- 36
Blank -- 227

School Committee
Paul Bockelman -- 911
Write-in -- 18
Blank -- 327

Ward seven
Alderman
Robert C. Trane -- 1,068
Katjana Ballantyne -- 1028
Write-in -- 5
Blank -- 36

School Committee
Mary Jo Rossetti -- 1,585
Write-in -- 20
Blank -- 532