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FRAMINGHAM – Six out of every 10 voters who participated in the preliminary election on Tuesday, cast their vote for the former long-time Selectman and former District 1 City Councilor Charlie Sisitsky to take the control of the City of Framingham.
Sisitsky received 4,401 votes, and Spicer received 1938 votes. Framingham businessman Carlos Valadares finished third with 363 votes and will not advance to the November 2 ballot.
SOURCE posted results on the election way before 9 p.m. last night on Facebook.
It is now a two-way race for Mayor. Voters will elect either Sisitsky or re-elect Spicer for 4-years on Tuesday, November 2.
Just under 17% of the City’s 39620 voters took part in the election – 6,727 individuals cast their vote.
Sisitsky, who was endorsed by state representatives Maria Robinson and Jack Patrick Lewis, won 16 of the 18 Precincts today.
Sisitsky, who was endorsed by a majority of the City Council, also won eight of the 9 City districts, only losing in District 9.
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Precincts 16 and 17 – which comprise District 9 – had the lowest turnout in the City with just 6% and 4%. District 9 City Councilor Tracey Bryant had endorsed Spicer and was campaigning for her re-election.
One-third of the City’s 18 Precincts had more than 20% voter turnout.
Voters told Sisitsky on Tuesday they were looking for a change in the leadership of the City of Framingham.
SOURCE had asked all three candidates in a Q&A if the City of Framingham was “on the right track, spinning its wheels, or moving backwards.”
Sisitsky said moving backwards, Valadares said spinning its wheels, and Spicer said on the right track.
Voters didn’t think Spicer was on the right track, but she has another several weeks to try to get them to see it her way before November 2’s final election.
Spicer blamed her poor showing yesterday on a low voter turnout.
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In the first City of Framingham preliminary election ever, voter turnout was about 27%, but in 2019, the preliminary election, which did not have the mayor’s race on the ballot drew just 10% of the voters. This time around, with one District city council race and the 3-way mayoral race, it was about 17%.
Mayor Spicer received almost 6,000 votes in her first preliminary election in 2017, and more than 9,000 votes when she won in November 2017. Yesterday, she was under 2,000 votes.
Yesterday, Sisitsky drew some big political names to hold signs for him. At one polling location he had Rep. Robinson, Rep. Lewis, and at-large City Councilor Janet Leombruno holding signs.
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Later that night at the same polling location, Mayor Spicer was campaign with former Town meeting members Bill & Kathie McCarthy, Framingham Democratic Town Committee Vice Chair Rosamond Hooper-Hamersley, and former Framingham Chief Financial Officer Mary Ellen Kelley.
Across the way, four City Councilors were holding Sisitsky signs – Leombruno, City Council Chair George P. King. Jr., Michael Cannon, and Phil Ottaviani Jr. The later two are running unopposed for re-election in November and the first two are not up for re-election until 2023.
City Councilors Cesar Stewart-Morales (District 2) and Bryant (District 9) endorsed Spicer. Both have races of their own in November.
A majority of the School Committee is also endorsing Sisistky, with Chair Adam Freudberg, part of the campaign team for Sisitsky.
Official voting results from yesterday, from City Clerk Lisa Ferguson, are below.
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