State Primary Is Tuesday; Polls Open Until Evening
By JAMES KINSELLA
The key prelude to the state election in November arrives Tuesday
with the Democratic and Republican party primaries. Polls will be open
in each of the Vineyard towns from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Drawing the most attention is the three-way battle for the
Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Businessman Christopher F. Gabrieli
of Boston, attorney Deval L. Patrick of Milton and attorney general
Thomas F. Reilly of Watertown are seeking the nomination. All three have
made appearances on the Island seeking support.
Of the Vineyard's 12,257 registered voters, nearly all of them
- 12,153 - are eligible to vote in the primaries. They
include 4,236 Democrats, 1,601 Republicans and 6,316 unenrolled voters.
The remaining voters carry another political designation, such as Green
Party or Libertarian, and hence are disqualified from voting in the
Democratic or Republican primaries.
Edgartown town clerk Wanda Williams said unenrolled voters may vote
in either of the primaries without filling out any forms, and will
retain their unenrolled status following the vote.
In the Republican primary, attorney Ricardo M. Barros of Barnstable
and selectman Doug Bennett of Nantucket are competing for the nod to
face incumbent state Sen. Robert O'Leary, a Democrat, for the Cape
and Islands seat.
In another Republican contest, Kenneth G. Chase of Belmont and Kevin
P. Scott of Wakefield are competing for the nomination to face incumbent
U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Barnstable.
In local races, incumbent Cong. William D. Delahunt of Quincy and
challenger Jeffrey K. Beatty of Harwich are unopposed for the Democratic
and Republican nominations.
State Rep. Eric T. Turkington of Falmouth and James R. Powell of
West Tisbury are unopposed for the Democratic and Republican nominations
for the Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket district.
Daniel James Larkosh of West Tisbury and incumbent Joseph E.
Sollitto Jr. of Chilmark are unopposed for the Democratic and Republican
nominations for clerk of courts, respectively. Dianne E. Powers, a
Democrat, is unopposed in both the primary and the state election for
register of deeds. Michael O'Keefe, a Republican, is unopposed in
both the primary and the state election for district attorney for the
Cape and Islands.
Of the candidates running for county commissioner, incumbents Robert
M. Sawyer of Vineyard Haven and Paul Strauss of Oak Bluffs, along with
challenger Carlene J. Gatting of Edgartown, are seeking the Democratic
nomination. Woodrow W. (Woody) Williams of Vineyard Haven is seeking the
Republican nomination. With four commission seats open, all four
candidates are assured of party nomination.
Among unopposed Republican primary candidates, Lieut. Gov. Kerry
Healey of Beverly is unopposed for the gubernatorial nomination and Reed
V. Hillman of Sturbridge is unopposed for the lieutenant governor
nomination.
Martha Coakley of Medford, a part-time West Tisbury resident, is
unopposed for the Democratic nomination for attorney general. Larry
Frisoli of Belmont is unopposed for the Republican nomination for
attorney general.
In other contests, Deborah B. Goldberg of Brookline, Timothy P.
Murray of Worcester and Andrea C. Silbert of Harwich are competing for
the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.
John Bonifaz is challenging long-time secretary of state William
Francis Galvin for the Democratic nomination for secretary of state.
Both live in Boston. Also, Kelly Kevin Lydon of Barnstable is
challenging incumbent councillor Carole A. Fiola of Fall River.
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