Some races remain to be called statewide, but Belmont posted its unofficial results around 10 p.m. Tuesday.
Belmont mirrored Massachusetts election results, as voters returned Gov. Maura Healey, Sen. Ed Markey, and state Sen. William Brownsberger to office.
The Associated Press called the race for governor and U.S. Senate moments after polls closed.
In her hometown, Belmont resident Elizabeth Dionne fell short in her bid for state treasurer, losing to incumbent Deborah Goldberg.
Town Clerk Ellen O’Brien Cushman and her staff have had a busy few days. The office had received and processed 5,106 mail-in ballots before polls opened on Tuesday. All told, it took 394 staff and volunteer hours to process them, she said.
Early in-person voting drew 1,555 people to cast ballots, Cushman said. In all, 11,512 ballots were cast out of 19,532 registered voters — a nearly 59% turnout, according to unofficial results.
According to PBS News, Bay State voters cast 347,346 early in-person ballots and 821,244 mail-in ballots.
Senate
The race between Markey and Republican challenger John Deaton wasn’t terribly close, and the Associated Press declared Markey the winner shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. In Belmont, Markey outpolled Deaton 8,548-2,101.
Longtime Belmont resident Shiva Ayyadurai gathered 332 votes as an independent and Joe Tache, running under the Party for Socialism and Liberation banner, tallied 254.
Governor’s Race
Maura Healey and Kim Driscoll beat Mike Minogue 8,645-2,382 in Belmont. Independent candidate Andrea James received 307 votes.
The AP called the race for Healey shortly after the polls closed Tuesday night.
Treasurer
Belmont resident Elizabeth Dionne fell short to Democratic incumbent Deborah Goldberg in her hometown, garnering 3,556 votes to Goldberg’s 7,446. Statewide, the race had not been called, but AP put Goldberg in the lead with about 72% of the vote just after 10 p.m. on Tuesday.
In Belmont, Dionne has been a regular face in town politics, previously serving as a Select Board member, Town Meeting member, Warrant Committee member, and Community Preservation Committee member.
State Senate
Belmont voters overwhelmingly reelected Sen. William Brownsberger, who has served in his seat since 2012. Brownsberger, who narrowly defeated challenger Daniel Lander in the Democratic primary in September, netted about 87% of the vote with 9,103 votes.
Brandon Charles Wood, running as an unenrolled candidate, received 1,326 votes.
The race has not been called as of 10 p.m. Tuesday, but AP results show Brownsberger with 88% of the vote, with just under 20% of ballots counted.
Question 1 – Public Records
Belmont overwhelmingly supported Question 1, 9,762-1,397. If passed statewide, Question 1 would place the legislature and governor’s office under Massachusetts public records law. The question comes two years after voters passed a ballot question giving state Auditor Diana DiZoglio the authority to audit the legislature. Massachusetts is the only state that exempts all three branches of state government from public records law.
Question 2 – Mass. Public Defenders Union
Belmont voters also supported Question 2, which asked voters to allow Massachusetts public defenders to organize and form a union. In Belmont, support for the question carried 7,670 to 3,355.
Question 3 – All Party Primaries
Voters in Belmont rejected replacing the state’s current primary system with an “all-party primary.” Of the 11,166 votes cast on the question, 4,115 voted in favor and 7,051 against.
Question 4 – Election Day Voter Registration
In Belmont, voters supported same-day voter registration on Election Day, 7,693-3,511.
Question 5 – Tax Rebates
Belmont voters rejected the tax law change proposed in Question 5, which, if passed, would change the formula to account for revenue from the “millionaire’s tax” passed in 2022, and would eliminate certain technical rules that give officials flexibility in calculating the cap each year. Overall, the changes would impose strict limits on annual revenue growth and increase tax rebates over the next several years.
Belmont voted 3,788 in favor, 7,234 against.
Question 6 – Nature Conservation Fund
Belmont voted 7,048-3,998 to support Question 6, which, if passed, would dedicate tax revenue to a “Nature for All” fund aimed at land conservation. The question would not add additional taxes; instead, it would direct sales tax dollars from sporting goods and recreational vehicles to the fund.
Question 7 – Single Family Zoning Laws
If passed, Question 7 would allow single-family homes statewide to be built on lots of at least 5,000 square feet — slightly less than one-eighth of an acre. Belmont supported the initiative 6,295-4,760.
Question 8 – Repealing Marijuana Legalization
Voters in Belmont overwhelmingly supported keeping recreational marijuana legal, 8,333-2,928.
Question 9 – Firearm Law Referendum
Belmont voted 9,490-1,782 against repealing a 2024 gun law, which established regulations on “ghost guns,” expanded the definition of an “assault-style firearm,” mandated every Massachusetts gun owner to register their firearms through a state portal, and expanded red flag laws. The law also banned guns from polling places and made it a crime for people to carry a weapon into a government building.