Mayoral elections in Worcester, Massachusetts

Elections are held every two years to elect the mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts.

Worcester held its first direct election for mayor in 1987. The city has a council–manager government in which the mayor's role is to chair both the Worcester City Council and the city's school committee.

Election system Popular elections for mayor were re-instituted in Worcester after the city's voters approved a new city charter in 1985.

In order to be elected mayor in Worcester, a person must place first in the mayor's race and also finish among the top six in the at-large city council election, being also elected a councilor at large. An individual cannot be elected mayor without additionally winning an at-large city council seat.

In addition, the candidate elected to the office of councilor at large who receives the second-highest number of votes for the office of mayor will become vice-chair of the Worcester City Council.

19th century elections 1865 In December 1865, Republican nominee James B. Blake was elected mayor of Worcester, defeating Democratic nominee D. Waldo Lincoln.

1866 In December 1866, incumbent Worcester Mayor James B. Blake (a Republican) was re-elected to a second term, facing only a scattering of votes against him.

1867 In December 1867, incumbent Worcester Mayor James B. Blake (a Republican) was re-elected to a third term, defeating Democratic nominee Isaac Davis

1868 In December 1868, incumbent Worcester Mayor James B. Blake (a Republican) was re-elected to a fourth term, facing only a scattering of votes against him.

1869 In December 1869, incumbent Worcester Mayor James B. Blake (a Republican) was re-elected to a fifth term, defeating Democratic nominee J. Henry Hill.

1870 In December 1870, incumbent Worcester Mayor James B. Blake (a Republican) was re-elected to a sixth term, defeating Democratic nominee J. Henry Hill. However, Blake died days after the election.

1897 In December 1897, Republican nominee Rufus B. Dodge was elected mayor of Worcester.

1898 In December 1898, Republican incumbent Rufus B. Dodge was re-elected mayor of Worcester.

1899 In December 1899, Republican incumbent Rufus B. Dodge was re-elected to a third term as mayor of Worcester.

1987 mayoral election

The 1987 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 3, 1987. The first ever election under held the new method of popular election for mayor, it saw the election of Jordan Levy to a second nonconsecutive term as mayor.

Candidates John B. Anderson, at-large City Council member since 1976 and former mayor (1986) Gustaf Coontz Joseph Diliberto Jordan Levy, City Council member since 1975 and former mayor (1980–1981)

Results

In the at-large City Council election, Levy placed first, Anderson placed fourth, Coontz placed tenth, and Donovan placed thirteenth.

1989 mayoral election

The 1989 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 7, 1989. It saw the reelection of Jordan Levy to a third overall, and second-consecutive term (his second term as a popularly elected mayor).

Candidates Joseph Diliberto, mayoral candidate in 1987 Margaret Donovan Jordan Levy, incumbent mayor Lynne Simonds

Results

In the at-large City Council general election, Levy placed first, Simonds placed ninth, Diliberto placed eleventh, and Donovan placed twelfth.

1991 mayoral election

The 1991 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 5, 1991. It saw the reelection of Jordan Levy to a fourth overall, and third-consecutive term (his third term as a popularly elected mayor).

Candidates William S. Coleman, III Timothy J. Cooney, Jr., city councilor since 1980 and former mayor of Worcester (1987) Jordan Levy, incumbent mayor Konstantina Lukes, at-large City Council member since 1990

Results

In the at-large City Council general election, Levy placed first, Cooney placed third, Lukes placed sixth, and Coleman placed eighth.

1993 mayoral election

The 1993 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 2, 1993. It saw the election of Raymond Mariano.

Incumbent mayor Jordan Levy did not seek reelection.

Campaign There were enough candidates in the at-large city council in 1995 that a primary was mandated for it, which was held in mid-September. Due to the laws requiring that a mayor also be elected an at-large city councilor, anyone who wanted to compete in the mayoral race would need to be on the ballot in the at-large City Council primary and advance to the at-large City Council general election if they hoped to be elected mayor.

Ultimately the mayoral candidates on the ballot were John B. Anderson, Austin A. Heath, Konstantina Lukes, and Raymond Mariano. All four had been among those that advanced to the at-large City Council general election from the primary, with Anderson placing first, Mariano placing second, Lukes placing fourth, and Heath placing tenth.

Candidate John B. Anderson, who served many years as a city councilor, had previously served as a City Council-appointed mayor in 1986.

Candidates John B. Anderson, at-large city council member since 1976 and former mayor (1986) Austin A. Heath Konstantina Lukes, at-large city council member since 1990 Raymond Mariano, city council member since 1982

Results

In the at-large City Council general election, Mariano placed first, Anderson placed second, Lukes placed third, and Heath placed ninth.

1995 mayoral election

The 1995 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 7, 1995. It saw the reelection of Raymond Mariano.

Campaign There were enough candidates in the at-large city council in 1995 that a primary was mandated for it, which was held in mid-September. Due to the laws requiring that a mayor also be elected an at-large city councilor, anyone who wanted to compete in the mayoral race would need to be on the ballot in the at-large City Council primary and advance to the at-large City Council general election if they hoped to be elected mayor.

Ultimately the mayoral candidates on the ballot were incumbent mayor Raymond Mariano and challengers William Coleman and Robert J. Hennigan. All three had been among those that advanced to the at-large City Council general election from the primary, with Mariano placing first in the at-large city council primary, Hennigan placing fourth, and Coleman placing twelfth.

Candidates William "Bill" Coleman III, mayoral candidate in 1991 Robert J. Hennigan Jr. Raymond Mariano, incumbent mayor since 1993

Results

In the at-large City Council election, Mariano placed first and Hennigan placed ninth, and Coleman placed eleventh.

1997 mayoral election

The 1997 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 4, 1997. It saw the reelection of Raymond Mariano to a third consecutive term.

Candidates Bill Coleman, community activist, candidate for mayor in 1991, 1995 Raymond Mariano, incumbent mayor since 1993

Results

In the at-large City Council election, Mariano placed first and Coleman placed tenth.

1999 mayoral election

The 1999 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 3, 1999. It saw the reelection of Raymond Mariano to a fourth consecutive term.

Candidates George A. Fox Konstantina Lukes, Worcester City Council at-large member since 1990 and mayoral candidate in 1993 Raymond Mariano, incumbent mayor since 1993

Results

In the at-large City Council election, Mariano placed first, Lukes placed third, and Fox placed eleventh.

2001 mayoral election

The 2001 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 6, 2001. It saw the election of Tim Murray.

Incumbent mayor Raymond Mariano did not seek reelection.

Candidates William Coleman, III, community activist, candidate for mayor in 1991 and 1995 Tim Murray, member of Worcester City Council since 1998

Results

Murray also finished first in the at-large city council election. Coleman finished eighth. Since Coleman, the second-place finisher, failed to be elected an at-large city council, he was not elected vice-chair of the Worcester City Council.

2003 mayoral election

The 2003 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 4, 2003. It saw the reelection of incumbent mayor Tim Murray to a second term.

Candidates William Coleman, III, community activist candidate for mayor in 1991, 1995, 1997, and 2001 Juan Gomez, Worcester City Council at-large member since 2000 Tim Murray, incumbent mayor

Results

Murray also finished first in the at-large city council election. Coleman finished second, Gomez finished fifth, Coleman finished seventh. Gomez, by rules of the city charter, became the vice-chair of the Worcester City Council.

2005 mayoral election

The 2005 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 8, 2005. It saw the reelection of incumbent mayor Tim Murray to a third term.

Campaign Incumbent mayor Tim Murray most significant challenger was City Council member Konstantina Lukes, who had been a frequent critic of Murray.

While running for mayoral reelection, Murray had already begun his campaign for the 2006 Massachusetts lieutenant gubernatorial nomination.

Candidates William Coleman, III, community activist candidate for mayor in 1991, 1995, 2001 and 2003 Juan Gomez, Worcester City Council at-large member since 2000, candidate for mayor in 2003 Konstantina Lukes, Worcester City Council at-large member since 1990, mayoral candidate in 1993 and 1999 William McCarthy, college professor, former Connecticut state trooper, executive assistant in the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control from 1996 to 1999 Tim Murray, incumbent mayor

Results

Murray also finished first in the at-large city council election. Lukes finished second, Gomez finished eighth, Coleman finished ninth, and McCarthy finished tenth. Lukes, by the rules of the city charter, became the vice-chair of the Worcester City Council.

2007 mayoral election

The 2007 Worcester, Massachusetts mayoral election was held on November 6, 2007. It saw the reelection of incumbent mayor Konstantina B. Lukes, who had been appointed to the position earlier that year after Tim Murray resigned to become Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts.

Lukes became the city's first elected female mayor as a result of this election.

Candidates William Coleman, III, community activist candidate for mayor in 1991, 1995, 2001, 2003, and 2005 Konstantina Lukes, incumbent mayor, Worcester City Council at-large member since 1990, mayoral candidate in 1993, 1999 and 2005 Gary Rosen, Worcester City Council at-large member since 2006 and 1996–97, former five-term Worcester School Committee member Frederick C. Rushton, Worcester City Council member and attorney

Withdrawn candidates Dennis L. Irish, Worcester City Council at-large member Mike C. Perotto, Worcester City Council at-large member

Campaign Lukes saw two strong challengers, Rushton and Rosen.

Rather than issues, the election largely focused on the personality and the leadership style of Lukes.

Lukes and Rushton were the best-funded candidates. Lukes managed to raise $31,381 for her campaign. Rushton managed to raise $80,000 for his campaign.

Despite the fact that Lukes identified as a Democrat, the city's Democratic Party leaders sought to unseat her. They hoped to coalesce opposition to Lukes behind a single candidate, and ultimately Rushton became their candidate. Rushton would ultimately receive most of the endorsements from major Democratic politicians in the region. Rushton's brother-in-law, Worcester County's new District Attorney Joseph D. Early, appeared at campaign events for him, marking the first time in decades that a District Attorney had involved himself in a political campaign.