Votes for Ravenstahl in Brookline

Timothy McNulty | November 3, 2009

Welcome to Early Returns' municipal election night coverage, which is starting late today so we can bring you the goods throughout the night. Or at least until midnight or so, at which point we'll be falling asleep.

Our first dispatch is from Rich Lord:

Voters interviewed leaving the Moore Recreation Center in Brookline were uniform in their contention that they came out of civic duty, rather than excitement over any given race.

Pressed for opinions, they gave no reason to believe that Independent mayoral challengers Kevin Acklin and Franco Dok Harris, both of whom worked for the South Hills vote, dented the popularity of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl. He's running with both the Democratic and Republican nominations.

"I want Luke back in," said teacher Judy Nebel. "I just think he's done a good job. He's young enough. Let him go."

His handling of the G-20 Summit of world leaders impressed her. "I think he kept his head with that," she said.

Gabriella Gigliotti, a bank teller, said she has used the 311 help line that the mayor implemented early in his term.

"He put that hot line in there, and it helps," she said. "They do try to come out and address the problem."

At around 4 p.m., 161 people had voted at the rec center, which poll watchers said was around normal for an off-year election.