Tens of thousands of Boston residents headed to the polls Nov. 4, eager to cast their vote in some of the city’s most consequential local races.
The mayoral, councilor at-large and district councilor elections were all on the ballot this year. Mayor Michelle Wu won her second term as mayor, and there was little turnover for district councilor and councilor at-large positions.
What began as a high-profile mayoral race between incumbent Wu and Democrat Josh Kraft, the president of the New England Patriots Foundation and the former CEO of the Boston chapter of the Boys and Girls Club, ended when Kraft dropped out of the election Sept. 12.
With Wu unopposed, many residents praised her actions and policies since her initial election in 2021, especially her recent clashes with President Donald Trump over issues like mass deportations.
“It’d be really great to see her continue to be a fierce advocate for the city at the national level and the state level,” said Maxwell White, a law student at Suffolk University Law School. “I think she fights really hard for the city, and I like that.”
Even with Wu’s 72% approval rating as of Sept. 5, some Boston residents would like to see her enact rent control and lower the cost of living in the city.
“Rent control is policy I would love to see initiated, along with other pro-housing things,” said Allston resident Cole Haywood.
Other residents like Juliana Fernandez, who lives in Mission Hill, echoed the same sentiment.
“I think Boston is such an expensive city,” Fernandez said. “It’s really hard for people to make it here. So I think anything she can do on that would be helpful.”
Though affordability was one of the biggest issues on voters’ minds, some also mentioned controversies during Wu’s time as mayor, including the demolition of White Stadium. The project — which will create a larger sports stadium to host Boston’s new professional women’s soccer team and allow students access — was strongly opposed by residents of the area, who claimed that it hadn’t undergone proper review. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy, along with several residents, sued the city in hopes of halting the project, though a Suffolk County Superior Court judge ruled against the plaintiffs in April.
“I was involved in the suit against the city for the White Stadium project,” said South End resident Beverly Murs. “I think [the city] really jumped the gun on that without enough public input. I’d like to see more public input listened to in her next term.”
Also on the ballot this election was the city councilor race; councilors are elected by constituents in their respective districts.
All of Boston’s districts had both an incumbent and a challenger, with the exception of districts 3 and 8, which only had an incumbent running. District 7 had two challengers running; it has been without a representative since December 2024, when former councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested on federal corruption charges. On Tuesday, District 7 candidate Miniard Culpepper narrowly beat Said Ahmed by 599 votes.
The councilor at-large election had no turnover, with all four incumbents — Ruthzee Louijeune, Julia Mejia, Erin Murphy and Henry Santana — winning their reelection campaigns.
Though most residents were satisfied with the work that city council has done, they again cited issues like the high cost of living in the city.
“I want to cut the cost of rent,” said Matilda King, a Mission Hill resident. “I don’t think an apartment should cost $3,000 to live in.”
Other residents were concerned about infrastructure issues, like the 2014 shut down of the Long Island Bridge connecting Long Island to Moon Island. Moon Island is connected to Squantum, a neighborhood in the city. Long Island housed a homeless shelter and provided programs for people suffering from substance abuse, but the programs have not been operational since the shut down of the bridge. Residents said a rebuilt bridge would alleviate addiction struggles in Boston and Quincy.
“I would like to see city councilors getting more involved with getting the Long Island Bridge rebuilt,” said South End resident Steve Morgan. “They’re reluctant to approach Quincy to open the discussion, and I think they need to do that. [It] will relieve the Mass and Cass situation.”
The budget, which the city council controls, is also a major area of concern for residents.
“I think the city has a lot of problems right now that a lot of people are glossing over because crime’s really low,” said John Marinelli, a Harvard law student. “I’m really worried about the budget and the public schools, so I’m looking for a council that’s more focused on those than they have been in the past couple years.”
Some voters believe that election day should be a federal holiday, giving all citizens a chance to vote.
“This is our civic duty as citizens and people that care about what affects us in daily life,” said Back Bay resident Kiki Beckham.
Despite the challenges the city faces, residents agree that voting is crucial to making their voices heard.
“It’s a lynchpin of what our democracy is founded on,” said Back Bay resident Les Shea.
Anna Karamas, Curtis DeSmith, Elise Peffer, Evelynn Lin, Safrin Begum contributed reporting.
