Belmont voters came out in stronger than expected numbers in the 2014 Massachusetts state party primaries held on Tuesday, Sept. 9.

The election saw one in four Belmont voters – 4,619 of the town’s 18,066 registered voters for 25.6 percent – come out to cast a ballot which is a higher percentage then in 2012 (21.1 percent) and 2010 (20.7 percent).

Belmont voters gave a big 1,500 vote boost to home-town candidate and winner Marian Ryan for the Democrat nomination for Middlesex District Attorney in a bruising campaign against Mike Sullivan.

And while voters did select Warren Tolman over eventual winner Maura Healey (who filmed a portion of her campaign commercial at the Grove Street basketball courts) in the Democrat Attorney General race, it was by a very narrow margin – by just about 300 votes – considering the candidate had a great deal of name recognition through his brother, Stephen, who was the town’s long-time state senator.

And the race for Democrat governor was as close in Belmont as it was statewide with Maratha Coakley slipping by Stephen Grossman, 39 percent to 35 percent – about a 150 vote margin – with Donald Berwick getting a better than expected 26 percent.

Here are the results:

Democrat

Governor 

Martha Coakley          1,547      39%

Steven Grossman       1,371      35%

Donald Berwick          1,008     26%

Lt. Governor 

Leland Cheung            1,694     55%

Stephen Kerrigan          930      30%

Michael Lake                  444      14%

Attorney General

Warren Tolman             2,094    53%

Maura Healey                1,819     46%

Treasurer

Deborah Goldberg         1,355     41%

Thomas Conroy                999      30%

Barry Finegold                  919      28%

Governor’s Councillor 

M.M. Petitto Devane      1,728    57%

Charlie Shapiro                1,316    43%

Middlesex District Attorney

Marian Ryan                     2,530    71%

Michael Sullivan               1,032    29%

Republican

Governor

Charles Baker                      483     82%

Mark Fisher                          105     18%

Today, Tuesday, Sept. 9, most, but not all, Belmont voters will have the opportunity to cast ballots in state party primaries to select the candidates who will meet in the General Election in November.

Time

Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Who can vote

While legally registered to vote, not everyone can cast a ballot today, This is a political party primary which limits the election to those registered party voters. In Massachusetts, the two parties this election cycle are the Democrat and Republican. Unenrolled voters can vote by asking for one of the two parties ballots. Any one registered as a member of a minor party – the Pirate Party, for example – will not be allowed to take out a ballot.

You may be asked for ID

Did you fill out your town census form mailed earlier in the year? If you did not, then you are known as an “inactive” voter. Luckily, an “inactive” voter may still vote but first must provide adequate identification proving the voter’s identity and current place of residence. Usually a Massachusetts Driver’s License or State issued ID are sufficient.

Who’s running?

Find out here.

Transportation to the polls

The League of Women Voters of Belmont is offering rides to the polls from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call 617-771-8500 to schedule transportation.

Questions about or during voting

Most questions – including who is eligible to vote in Belmont – that arise during voting can be answered by the precinct warden at the polling station. Other questions should be addressed to the Town Clerk’s Office at 617-993-2600. 

Where do I vote?

Don’t know where to vote? Call the Town Clerk at 617-993-2600, or read or download the handy map included on this web page that includes a street directory.

Polling Places:

• Precinct 1; Belmont Memorial Library, Assembly Room, 336 Concord Ave.
• Precinct 2: Belmont Town Hall, Selectmen’s Meeting Room, 455 Concord Ave.
• Precinct 3: Beech Street Center (Senior Center), 266 Beech St.
• Precinct 4: Daniel Butler School, 90 White St.
• Precinct 5: Beech Street Center (Senior Center), 266 Beech St.
• Precinct 6: Belmont Fire Headquarters, 299 Trapelo Rd.
• Precinct 7: Burbank School Gym, 266 School St.
• Precinct 8: Winn Brook School Gym, 97 Waterhouse Rd (Enter at Cross St)