Hilltown election results mirrored the majority of the country more closely than they did the commonwealth of Massachusetts in turns of votes for national and state leaders; however, the Hilltowns were in sync with the state on the ballot questions. Turnout was strong in the small towns in The Pennysaver coverage area of Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Montgomery, Otis and Russell, ranging from 70-80%.
In unofficial results as of Nov. 7, Blandford, Chester, Huntington, Montgomery and Russell all favored the Trump-Vance ticket, with Otis the only town favoring Harris-Waltz, voting 547 for Harris to 487 for Trump. Blandford voted 489 for Trump to 308 for Harris; Chester, 434 for Trump to 293 for Harris; Huntington, 647 to 550 for Harris; Montgomery, 302 for Trump to 236 for Harris; Russell, 524 for Trump, 350 for Harris.
Residents in each town also voted for a smattering of other party candidates. The highest vote getter tally among the other parties was in Huntington, where Green Party candidate Jill Stein received 13 votes.
The town of Otis voted largely Democratic with the state majority, and was also the only one of the six towns that voted to send U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Richard Neal back to Washington, D.C. with the other five towns putting their support behind challengers Republican John Deaton and Nadia Milleron, who was running as an independent against Neal. Otis’ count was 532 for Warren to 491 for Deaton, and 512 for Neal to 458 for Nadia Milleron.
Blandford voted 520 for Deaton to 283 for Warren, and 443 for Milleron to 326 for Neal; Chester voted 453 for Deaton to 287 for Warren, and 408 for Milleron to 299 for Neal. Huntington favored Deaton with 682 votes to 535 for Warren, and 599 for Milleron to 561 for Neal. Montgomery voted 333 for Deaton to 213 for Warren and 270 for Milleron to 249 for Neal, and Russell voted 520 for Deaton to 283 for Warren, and 443 for Milleron to 326 for Neal.
Incumbent state senators and representatives fared better among the six towns, with state Sen. Paul Mark (D-Becket) receiving winning support from Huntington and Otis, but losing to challenger David Rosa in Blandford and Chester. The towns of Montgomery and Russell are represented by state Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield) who was running unopposed. Also unopposed was Rep.Nicholas Boldyga, who serves.all but Otis.
In Otis, state Representative-elect Leigh Davis, vice chair of the Great Barrington Select Board, lost the town race to Lenox Select Board member Marybeth Mitts, 465 to 485, while winning overall in William “Smitty” Pignatelli’s former 3rd Berkshire district.
On Question 1, which asked voters to provide the state auditor the authority to audit the state Senate and House of Representatives, all six towns supported the measure. Blandford voted 546 yes to 223 no; Chester 495 yes to 208 no; Huntington, 791 yes to 387 no; Montgomery, 358 yes to 169 no, Otis 636 yes to 331 no, and Russell 597 yes to 253 no.
Also on Question 2, which asked voters if they wanted to eliminate the MCAS exam as a high school graduation requirement, all six voted in favor of eliminating the graduation requirement. In Blandford, the vote was 546 in favor, 223 against eliminating the requirement; in Chester, 495 to 208; in Huntington, 791 to 387; in Montgomery, 358 to 169; in Otis, 636 to 331, and in Russell, 597 to 253.
On Question 3, which asked voters if they wanted to allow drivers for rideshares such as Uber and Lyft to form unions, Huntington voted narrowly in favor 596 to 583, and Otis voted 504 to 103, the only two hilltowns towns to vote with the majority in the state for a union for Uber drivers. Against were Blandford, voting 355 yes to 419 no; Chester, 344 to 368 against; in Montgomery, 208 votes yes and 317 no, and in Russell, the question was defeated with 397 in favor, and 453 against.
None of the towns were in favor of Question 4 — only 8 cities and 12 towns in the state were, according to MassLive — which asked voters if they wanted to allow people over the age of 21 in Massachusetts to grow and use psychedelic substances, and create a commission to regulate them. In Blandford, the vote was 333 for and 463 against; in Chester, 307 for and 418 against; in Huntington, 511 for and 675 against; Montgomery voted 200 for and 330 against; Otis, 410 for and 594 against, and Russell 346 for and 530 against.
The towns also voted with the majority in the state in defeating Question 5, which asked voters if they wanted to boost the minimum wage for tipped workers in Massachusetts to the full state minimum wage over a 5-year period.
In Blandford, the vote was 207-584; in Chester, 188 for and 528 against; in Huntington, 347 in favor and 849 against; Montgomery voted 122 for and 412 against; Otis, 355 for and 645 against, and Russell, defeated the questions, 222 for and 652 against
Finally, on Question 6, a non-binding question on a local initiative by the Massachusetts Campaign for Single Payer Health Care, or Mass-Care, the question was split, with Chester, Huntington, Otis and Russell voting in favor of single-payer health insurance.
The vote in favor in Chester was 389 yes to 308 no; in Huntington, the vote won 645 to 496; in Otis, 585-381, and in Russell, 426-406.
The question was defeated in Blandford with 372 in favor and 382 against and in Montgomery with 224 in favor and 283 against.
Election results will be posted on town websites once certified and may be found on mass.gov, Election Division.
