Boston City Council elections were held on November 5, 1985. Eleven seats (seven district representatives and four at-large members) were contested in the general election, as the incumbents in districts 4 and 5 were unopposed. Nine seats (the four at-large members, and districts 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9) had also been contested in the preliminary election held on September 10, 1985.
At-large Councillors Dapper O'Neil, Joseph M. Tierney, Christopher A. Iannella, and Michael J. McCormack were re-elected.
CandidatesPreliminary electionGeneral electionVotes%Votes% Dapper O'Neil (incumbent) 22,792 19.1 36,686 18.8 Joseph M. Tierney (incumbent) 17,014 14.3 34,427 17.6 Christopher A. Iannella (incumbent) 19,183 16.1 33,883 17.3 Michael J. McCormack (incumbent) 17,329 14.5 27,976 14.3 Frederick C. Langone 16,900 14.2 26,365 13.5 Michael W. Kane 10,018 8.4 17,175 8.8 Willie Mae Allen 6,268 5.3 12,533 6.4 Althea Garrison 3,565 3.0 6,402 3.3 Kenneth C. Davis 2,130 1.8 John P. Scialdone 1,588 1.3 Richard A. Black 972 0.8 Little L. Pittman 808 0.7 Edward P. Malik 723 0.6
District 1 Councillor Robert Travaglini was re-elected.
CandidatesPreliminary electionGeneral electionVotes%Votes% Robert Travaglini (incumbent) 3,983 78.6 5,440 15.6 Robert C. Jordan 626 12.4 1,004 15.6 Joseph Sablone 459 9.1
District 2 Councillor James M. Kelly was re-elected.
CandidatesPreliminary electionGeneral electionVotes%Votes% James M. Kelly (incumbent) 4,836 62.2 7,028 62.4 Bill Linehan 2,701 34.7 4,242 37.6 Ali J. Fiumedoro 244 3.1
District 3 Councillor James E. Byrne was re-elected.
CandidatesGeneral electionVotes% James E. Byrne (incumbent) 5,828 86.2 Arthur G. Murphy 935 13.8
District 4 Councillor Charles Yancey ran unopposed and was re-elected.
CandidatesGeneral electionVotes% Charles Yancey (incumbent) 1,934 100
District 5 Councillor Thomas Menino ran unopposed and was re-elected.
CandidatesGeneral electionVotes% Thomas Menino (incumbent) 5,745 100
District 6 Councillor Maura Hennigan was re-elected.
CandidatesGeneral electionVotes% Maura Hennigan (incumbent) 6,143 86.4 Richard K. Whitney 964 13.6
District 7 Councillor Bruce Bolling was re-elected.
CandidatesPreliminary electionGeneral electionVotes%Votes% Bruce Bolling (incumbent) 1,505 70.3 2,386 68.0 Roy A. Owens 448 20.9 1,121 32.0 Robert Polk 108 5.0 Charles H. Durant 80 3.7
District 8 Councillor David Scondras was re-elected.
CandidatesPreliminary electionGeneral electionVotes%Votes% David Scondras 2,472 67.4 3,195 64.6 Judy Porteus 538 14.7 1,750 35.4 Glenn Fiscus 457 12.5 Leslie F. Payne 202 5.5
District 9 Councillor Brian J. McLaughlin was re-elected.
CandidatesPreliminary electionGeneral electionVotes%Votes% Brian J. McLaughlin (incumbent) 2,275 45.4 4,192 55.6 Richard M. Izzo 1,869 37.3 3,353 44.4 John F. Melia 784 15.6 Aramis Camps 82 1.6
See also List of members of the Boston City Council
References
Further reading