The race for District 3 Governor’s Council continues to grab headlines as one of the candidates claimed support from Massachusetts politicians that it appears she does not have. Also, the City officials want voters to be aware — with many polling places located at schools — that election day falls on the same day as Watertown students head back to school.
During a recent League of Women’s Voters forum District 3 Governor’s Councilor Marilyn Petitto Devaney, from Watertown, stated that she had endorsements, which were later refuted. The 12-term incumbent faces Concord’s Mara Dolan in the Democratic Primary for the seat on the board which, among other things, votes on the Governor’s nominations for judges and nominees for other boards, and on vote on the Governor’s proposed pardons and commutations of prisoners.
In the debate, which was shown by NewTV (Newton’s public access channel), Devaney said she had been endorsed by Congressman Jim McGovern and Democratic State Auditor candidate Chris Dempsey. The claims were called “dubious” in a story on WGBH’s website. Both McGovern and Dempsey were contacted and neither one said they have endorsed any candidate for Governor’s Council.
In August, the Boston Globe reported on the race focused on the disputes Devaney has had with the other seven members of the Governor’s Council. The candidates also appeared in a debate hosted by Watertown Cable Access TV (read about it here).
Election Day & Back to School
The 2022 State Primary coincides with Watertown’s first day of school, and City officials asked residents to be aware of students walking in the area when they go to polling places. Four of the seven voting locations being used in the Sept. 6 election are inside Watertown school buildings.
The City of Watertown sent out the following information:
The Massachusetts State Primary Election is Tuesday, September 6, 2022 from 7 AM- 8 PM.
HERE IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR VOTERS ON ELECTION DAY!!!
If you are going to the Polls to vote on Election Day, please be aware of the following:
September 6 is also the first day of school in Watertown. Please be mindful of students walking in the area.
All Elementary Schools have an arrival time for students of 8:05 a.m. and dismissal at 2:30 p.m.
Watertown Middle School has an arrival for students of 8:20 a.m. and dismissal at 3:00 p.m.
If possible, please consider visiting the polls in the hours between these two time frames, or after 3:30 p.m. when things will be less busy. Polls are open until 8:00 p.m.
Please follow all signage as entry locations for the polls may have changed since your last visit. Be respectful of parking restrictions – staff parking and student drop-off areas cannot be used by voters.
Also be aware that changes have been made to some of the Polling Precincts and info:
1 – Hellenic Center, 29 Bigelow Avenue
2 – Hosmer School, 1 Concord Road
Voters in Precinct #2 will use the Hosmer School as their polling location and will enter at Door #6. The Hosmer School is located at 1 Concord Road. Voters must park on Concord Road. This same door will be used by voters to exit the polls.
Please be aware of and respectful of students and staff and follow all signage for voters.
3 – Hellenic Center, 29 Bigelow Avenue
4 – Phillips School, 30 Common Street
Voters in Precinct #4 will use the Phillips School as their polling location and will enter here, via the Senior Center entrance at 31 Marshall Street. Voters must park on Marshall Street or Spring Street. This same door will be used by voters to exit the polling location.
Please be aware of and respectful of all staff and visitors at the Senior Center and follow all signage for voters.
5 – Phillips School, 30 Common Street
Voters in Precinct #5 will use the Phillips School as their polling location and will enter here, via the Senior Center entrance at 31 Marshall Street. Voters must park on Marshall Street or Spring Street. This same door will be used by voters to exit the polling location.
Please be aware of and respectful of all staff and visitors at the Senior Center and follow all signage for voters.
6 – Hibernian Hall, 151 Watertown Street
7 – Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverley Avenue
Voters in Precinct #7 will use the Middle School as their polling location. The Middle School is located at 68 Waverley Avenue. Voters will use the entrance at the rear of the building at Door #7. Voters must park on Bemis Street or Westminster Avenue. Voters will exit the polls via Door #9, which is located within the gym/polling location.
Please be aware of and respectful of students and staff and stay within the areas designated for voting. Please follow the signage for voting.
8 – Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverley Avenue
Voters in Precinct #8 will use the Middle School as their polling location. The Middle School is located at 68 Waverley Avenue. Voters will use the entrance at the rear of the building at Door #7. Voters must park on Bemis Street or Westminster Avenue. Voters will exit the polls via Door #9, which is located within the gym/polling location.
Please be aware of and respectful of students and staff and stay within the areas designated for voting. Please follow the signage for voting.
9 – Watertown Middle School, 68 Waverley Avenue
Voters in Precinct #9 will use the Middle School as their polling location. The Middle School is located at 68 Waverley Avenue. Voters will use the entrance at the rear of the building at Door #7. Voters must park on Bemis Street or Westminster Avenue. Voters will exit the polls via Door #9, which is located within the gym/polling location.
Please be aware of and respectful of students and staff and stay within the areas designated for voting. Please follow the signage for voting.
10 – Watertown Police Station, 552 Main Street
11 – Cunniff School, 246 Warren Street
Voters in Precinct #11 will use the Cunniff School as their polling location. The Cunniff School is located at 246 Warren Street. Voters will enter the building via Door #2, which is by the playground. Voters must park on Warren Street. This same door will be used by voters to exit the polling location.
Voters are instructed to park on Warren Street. Please be respectful of staff parking areas and of “Staff Only” areas within the school. Follow the signage for voters.
12 – Cunniff School, 246 Warren Street
Voters in Precinct #12 will use the Cunniff School as their polling location. The Cunniff School is located at 246 Warren Street. Voters will enter the building via Door #2, which is by the playground. Voters must park on Warren Street. This same door will be used by voters to exit the polling location.
Voters are instructed to park on Warren Street. Please be respectful of staff parking areas and of “Staff Only” areas within the school. Follow the signage for voters.
More election information can be found here: https://watertown-ma.gov/283/Election-Voter-Information
If you have questions, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 617-972-6486.
It is difficult to know the whole background stories on various articles. I would like to know who contacted the offices of Jim McGovern and Chris Dempsey to get the comments and from what staff members. Sometimes comments are made between individuals when they are in candid conversations and one may come away with the feeling that the person is supporting someone’s candidacy. I don’t know if that’s what happened in these situations.
WGBH is known as a liberal media who tends to side with liberal ideas and people. As we know, media is not trusted as it used to be as so-called news is often slanted to one side or key facts are left out. So we all need to do our homework to see what is accurate before making decisions.
Marilyn still did have a number of important endorsements and she definitely has a great track record of being very involved and committed to doing the best job possible. By doing this job full time she often gets more information than someone who would do it part time. We need to consider all the facts before making our important voting decisions.
Yes Joan, we need to review the facts. Look at the comments on this post and you will see all you need to know.
Joan,
She has been doing this for her whole career. She lies more than Trump. This is not the 1st or 2nd time.
https://village14.com/2014/09/07/governors-council-gets-weirder/
She did the same thing in a Burlington debate for this race. She claimed that Dolan ran for office in two municipalities the same day. It was a lie. Facts matter, I hope.
Another one:
https://village14.com/2016/08/31/sette-warren-endorses-marilyn-devaney/
Let’s take a look at the incumbents record. These are only the ones that made it to the newspaper:
https://www.masslive.com/politics/2011/06/feud_between_massachusetts_gov.html
There’s just so much:
https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/04/04/opinion/governors-council-fades-black/
Funny, how every election that rolls by has “candidates”, both city and state-wide, who 95% of the people have never even heard of before. Other than Maura Healey and Marilyn Devaney, the rest are brand new and yet are making promises, like most politicians, that will never come true. Some are saying that if elected, they will make Boston or Massachusetts “more affordable”, which is totally laughable. Some of these unknowns are already attacking other unknowns, which only tells us that politics is dirty, and most involved don’t deserve a vote, since it only encourages them.
How has Mara Dolan attacked the incumbent with anything other than factual charges?
I agree with those who believe that Mara Dolan’s being a lawyer does not fit with her being on the Gov. Council.
She would vote on judges she will appear before. That’s a no-no.
Almost all the other Governors Council members are attorneys. Fact.