By David Taber

(precinct breakdowns appear at bottom of article)

Approximately 11 percent of the city’s registered voters turned out on Wednesday to vote in the preliminary special election for the Alderman-At-Large seat vacated by State Rep. Denise Provost last fall.

      Unofficial tallies from the city election department showed 2,372 ballots were cast for Marty Martinez, who received 52.51 percent of the vote. Jack Connolly got 1,814 votes for 40.16 percent.  The two will be competing in the final election on May 15.  The third candidate, Robert Daut, whose entry into the race necessitated the preliminary ballot, received 308 votes. 

      Martinez won in six of the city‚Äôs seven wards, however Connolly outstripped him by a two-to-one margin in Ward 1 with 234 votes to Martinez‚Äôs 112.

      Davis Square resident Larry Hannay said he cast his ballot for Martinez because Martinez was the only candidate who had knocked on his door.

      ‚ÄúHe came around door to door, I appreciate that he takes the time to talk to people,‚Äù Hannay said of Martinez, who quit his job in order to run for Alderman full time.   

      Hannay said he received automated calls from Connolly and Daut. 

      He said there were no particular municipal issues he is concerned about, but he would like to see more affordable housing in Somerville.   ‚ÄúI hate the fact that there is no parking, as far as Davis Square is concerned,‚Äù he said.

      Peter Coyle said he visited his polling place at 7:30 a.m.

      ‚ÄúI don‚Äôt want my mom to get on my case,‚Äù he said. 

      He said he is interested in hearing how candidates plan to support local businesses and, while he does not know what the Board of Alderman can do about it, interested in seeing contract negotiations between the city and the Police and Fire Departments move forward.

      He declined to say whom he voted for, but said he has not been ‚Äúterribly impressed‚Äù with any of the candidates.      

      Somerville resident Tara Saegaert said she had planned to vote when she heard about the election last week, but decided to sit the preliminary election out because she had forgotten to research the candidates.

      ‚ÄúIt was on my list of things to do and I didn‚Äôt do it,‚Äù she said.

Election Commissioner Nicholas Salerno said he was disappointed that only one in ten of the city‚Äôs approximately 40,000 voters made it to the polls. 

      ‚ÄúI was hoping for a little bit more than that,‚Äù he said.

He predicted turnout will be higher for the general election on May 15.

“Please, please get out and vote,” he said

Unofficial Precinct by precinct break down:

Ward 1: Daut-47, Connolly-234, Martinez-112

P-1: Daut-8, Connolly-52, Martinez-28

P-2: D-33, C-117, M-112

P-3: D-6, C-65, M-27

Ward 2: D-26, C-60, M-212

P-1: D-9, C-30, M-68

P-2: D-10, C-37, M-42

P-3: D-7, C-60, M-102

Ward 3: D-64, C-314, M-448

P-1: D-39, C-90, M-146

P-2: D-15, C-93, M-183

P-3: D-10, C-131, M-119

Ward 4: D-27, C-187, M-195

P-1: D-8, C-56, M-42

P-2: D-7, C-56, M-71

P-3: D-12, C, C-75, M-82

Ward 5: D-31, C-290, M-536

P-1: D-9, C-92, M-205

P-2: D-13, C-97, M-140

P-3: D-9, C-101, M-191

Ward 6: D-42, C-430, M-455

P-1: D-11, C-119, M-181

P-2: D-20, C-194, M-177

P-3: D-11, C-117, M-97

Ward 7: D-71, C-232, M-414

P-1: D-19, C-105, M-170

P-2: D-26, C-51, M-128

P-3: D-26, C-76, M-116

+20 write ins, 3 blank ballots = 4517 votes cast