Middleboro and Lakeville buck the trend in statewide elections

Middleboro and Lakeville voters went against the grain on many major statewide elections.

The towns mostly sided with the Republican candidate in elections for governor, U.S. senator and U.S. representative. All of those Republican candidates lost, however.

Voters also went against the prevailing notions on many of the nine ballot questions, voting for looser gun laws and against same-day voter registration.

Middleboro and Lakeville had voter turnout rates of roughly 51% and 34.6%, respectively.

Democratic Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov Kim Driscoll defeated Republican challenger Mike Minogue. Middleboro voted for Minogue 5,517 to 4,430, and so did Lakeville, with a split of 2,332 to 1,179 in favor of the Republican.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Ed Markey fended off Republican opponent John Deaton. Middleboro sided with Deaton, giving him 5,411 votes compared to 4,682 to Markey. He also won Lakeville 1,877 to 1,303.

Middleboro’s U.S. Rep. Bill Keating, a longtime incumbent Democrat, was reelected, holding off Republican hopeful and former Mattapoisett Select Board member Tyler Macallister. Macallister won Middleboro by only two votes: 5,135 to Keating’s 5,133.

Incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, who represents Lakeville, defeated Republican challenger Thomas Stalcup. Lakeville picked Stalcup, giving him 2,088 votes to 1,412 for Auchincloss.

Two of Middleboro’s state representatives — Democrat Kathy LaNatra and Republican Norman Orrall — won their races, while Republican John Gaskey’s race has not been called by press time. LaNatra defeated Republican candidate Eric Meschino, while Gaskey is facing off with Democratic opponent Sarah Hewins. 

LaNatra won Middleboro slightly, gaining 1,210 votes to Meschino’s 1,128.

Middleboro voters sided with Gaskey as well, voting for him over Hewins 1,840 to 1,417.

Orrall, who also represents Lakeville in the state Legislature, ran unopposed.

The race between longtime Democratic state Senator Michael Rodrigues, who represents Lakeville, and Republican challenger Gabriel Boomer Amaral has not been called by press time. Lakeville voted heavily for Amaral, with 2,012 voters casting ballots for him compared to 1,473 for Rodrigues.

Republican State Sen. Kelly Dooner, who represents Middleboro, ran unopposed.

On most of the nine ballot questions, Middleboro and Lakeville voters once again went against what the rest of Massachusetts voted for. Nemasket Week has provided a chart showing how the towns voted on all nine ballot questions.

Voters across the state voted yes on Question 9, upholding Massachusetts’ current strict gun laws. Middleboro and Lakeville joined the minority who opposed it, each voting against the measure. Lawn signs could be seen across the town ahead of the Nov. 3 election imploring people to vote “No on 9.”

The state denied Question 3, which would have abolished party primaries and created a single, all-party primary for elected offices. Middleboro and Lakeville did the same, each heavily casting no votes.

On Question 4, Massachusetts voters chose to legalize same-day voter registration. Middleboro and Lakeville did not. Both strongly opposed the measure.

Voters decided to keep recreational marijuana legal, voting down Question 8. Middleboro and Lakeville voters sided with the rest of the state. Roughly three-quarters of voters cast “no” ballots in each town.

Question 7, which would allow for single-family homes to be constructed on lots of at least 5,000 square feet, has not been called by press time. Middleboro and Lakeville voters each strongly opposed the measure.

Of 21,200 registered voters in Middleboro, 10,824 submitted ballots. In Lakeville, roughly 3,650 voted out of 10,540 registered voters.