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1981 Boston City Council election

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Boston City Council election was held on November 3, 1981, with preliminary elections on September 21, 1981. This election was the final one before the Council transitioned from having 9 members (all at-large) to having 13 members (9 district representatives and 4 at-large).

Candidates

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Six of the nine incumbents (Raymond Flynn, Christopher A. Iannella, Frederick C. Langone, Patrick F. McDonough, Dapper O'Neil, & Joseph M. Tierney) ran for reelection. Lawrence DiCara, Rosemarie Sansone, and John W. Sears chose not to run.

Elected

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Lost in general election

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  • Francis X. Coppinger, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1975 to 1977 and previously from 1969 to 1973.
  • James M. Kelly, metal worker and anti-busing activist.
  • Pamela J. Gilman, former project director of Boston's Economic Development Industrial Commission and special assistant for the Massachusetts Office of Federal and State Relations.[1]
  • Craig Lankhorst, former Boston Public School teacher.[1]
  • Patrick F. McDonough, member of the Boston City Council since 1972. Previously served on the council from 1956 to 1964 and 1966 to 1970.
  • Gerard P. McHale, former Boston Police officer (1980 to 1981), administrative assistant to the Boston Office of Public Facilities (1976 to 1980), and assistant director for the Boston Office of Personnel (1974 to 1976).[1]
  • Edmund McNamara, Commissioner of the Boston Police Department from 1962 to 1972.
  • David Scondras, community activist.[1]
  • Charles Yancey, director of administration for the Massachusetts Office of Communities and Development from 1978 to 1979.[1]

Eliminated in preliminary election

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  • John B'Smith III, bar manager.[1]
  • William G. Broderick, real estate broker.[1]
  • Warren I. Brown, Boston public school teacher since 1955.[1]
  • David F. Burnes, functional hall manager and Democratic State Committee member.[1]
  • Joseph W. Casper, founder of a human rights organization, funeral home manager, and former director of marketing for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (1967 to 1977).[1]
  • Thomas P. Casserly, owner of a wholesale scrap metal and paper goods company.[1]
  • Edward J. DeSantis, district superintendent for the Metropolitan District Commission.[1]
  • Joseph T. Fitzpatrick, librarian in the Boston Public Library system.[1]
  • Althea Garrison, employee of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue.[1]
  • Francis X. Goode, Boston city assessor since 1972.[1]
  • John P. Grady, head basketball coach at Don Bosco Technical High School and Boston youth activities manager.[1]
  • Richard B. Hogan, city hall employee during the Kevin White administration.[1]
  • John F. Melia, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1965 to 1981.[1]
  • Stephen G. Michaels, attorney and insurance company owner.[1]
  • Brian Hickey, manager of the Charlestown "Little City Hall" from 1979 to 1981.[1]
  • Frederick T. Scopa, senior administrative assistant for Boston's Real Property Department. Former technical assistant and training coordinator for the Employment and Economic Policy Administration.[1]
  • John S. MacDonald, assistant director of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers since 1978.[1]
  • Joseph E. Maher, member of the Boston Fire Department since 1974.[1]
  • Edward M. McCormack, principal of the Holy Childhood School at Nazareth since 1968.[1]
  • David Alan Mittell Jr., Boston public school teacher and coach.[1]
  • John K. Rees, anti-nuclear activist.[1]
  • Maureen Craven Slade, registered nurse and anti-abortion activist.[1]

Results

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The top 18 candidates in the preliminary election moved on to the November general election. The top nine candidates in the November election were seated on the city council.

Candidates Preliminary Election[2] General Election[3]
Votes Votes
Raymond Flynn (incumbent) 31,898 53,136
Christopher A. Iannella (incumbent) 25,462 44,621
Dapper O'Neil (incumbent) 24,240 40,474
Frederick C. Langone (incumbent) 23,000 39,780
Joseph M. Tierney (incumbent) 17,649 35,185
Michael J. McCormack 14,178 33,861
Terence P. McDermott 11,981 31,707
Maura Hennigan 14,325 31,637
Bruce Bolling 15,273 30,672
James M. Kelly 14,941 30,079
Patrick F. McDonough (incumbent) 17,165 29,591
Edmund McNamara 12,007 29,301
David Scondras 11,616 28,571
Charles Yancey 12,378 27,007
Francis X. Coppinger 11,034 21,675
Craig Lankhorst 10,301 20,769
Pamela J. Gilman 10,070 14,776
Gerard P. McHale 10,407 14,173
Joseph W. Casper 9,906
Frederick T. Scopa 9,444
John F. Melia 8,788
Stephen G. Michaels 8,325
Brian Hickey 8,222
John P. Grady 7,855
Richard B. Hogan 7,794
Edward M. McCormack 7,610
William G. Broderick 7,134
Joseph E. Maher 6,269
Maureen Craven Slade 5,759
Althea Garrison 5,442
Joseph T. Fitzpatrick 3,947
David F. Burnes 3,784
David Alan Mittell Jr. 3,660
Francis X. Goode 3,227
Thomas P. Casserly 3,005
Warren I. Brown 3,001
John S. MacDonald 2,881
Edward J. DeSantis 2,688
John B’Smith III 1,936
John K. Rees 1,791

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa "Candidates for the City Council...". The Boston Globe. September 16, 1981.
  2. ^ Annual Report of the Election Department. Boston [Election Dept.] 1982. p. 43.
  3. ^ Annual Report of the Election Department. Boston [Election Dept.] 1982. p. 70.
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