By Elaine Allegrini
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
Posted Nov 04, 2009 @ 04:00 AM
Last update Nov 04, 2009 @ 07:23 AM
BROCKTON —
Debra DelVecchio said, “I want to make a
difference,” as she entered the Kennedy
School to vote on Tuesday.
And make a difference she did.
She was among the 13,113 people, or 28
percent of the city’s 46,906 voters, who
cast ballots to put the first woman — Linda
Balzotti, — in the mayor’s office and the
first minority — Jass Stewart — on the City
Council.
DelVecchio said it was time for a change
in the mayor’s office.
And, she was happy to vote for change
with Stewart, saying it was a good fit for
the man who ran twice for mayor and lost.
“It’s historic,” she said even before
the results were known.
Nicholas Carneglia, 21, said he was only
one vote, but every vote counted and he
wanted his to matter too.
Like many, he waited until late in the
day to vote, casting his ballot at the
Kennedy School, where the turnout was more
than 30 percent.
The polls closed at 8 p.m.
Elections chief John McGarry said most
voters came out for the mayor’s race, but
the economy was the big issue this year.
“The candidates worked very hard, and I
am sure Mayor Harrington is trying to offset
the numbers in the preliminary,” McGarry
said.
In that September preliminary, Balzotti
won 56 percent of the vote, while Mayor
James El. Harrington garnered 35 percent as
they eliminated two other hopefuls.
The mayor did bring his numbers up on
Tuesday, but not enough to defeat Balzotti.
Voters kept coming into the evening,
with a 24 percent turnout at 6 p.m. rising
to 28 percent by the end of the day.
“The last couple of hours, depending on
the weather, can go either way,” McGarry
said.
Edson Batista, 24, a recent graduate of
Norwich University, said the state of the
economy brought him to the polls.
He is heading to the military in a few
months, but the local election was a
priority, to vote for mayor and even more
importantly for the City Council, he said.
“(Incumbent Robert) Sullivan and Stewart
spoke with me and got me into it,” he said.
“I liked the personal touch.”
In the final hour before the polls
closed, voters were intent on one thing.
“I want to vote,” said Ben Monteiro, 50,
as he rushed into the polls focused on the
task ahead.
He barely stopped, preferring to get
inside and get the job done.