Turnout low as city voters choose councillors

Councillor Steve Murphy : The incumbent councillor sought to connect with voters before they entered a double precinct at St. John Paull II Catholic Academy on Neponset Avenue on Tuesday morning. Bill Forry photoCouncillor Steve Murphy : The incumbent councillor sought to connect with voters before they entered a double precinct at St. John Paull II Catholic Academy on Neponset Avenue on Tuesday morning. Bill Forry photo

The citywide turnout in Boston was just 4.2 percent at noontime on Tuesday as voters trickled to the polls to choose a slate of city councillors. The most watched district race in the city— the contest for District 4 between incumbent Charles Yancey and challenger Andrea Campbell— drove an above average turnout in parts of Dorchester and Mattapan this morning. The city's top turnout percentage-wise— is the Codman Apartments on Washington Street (17-9)— where 16.2 percent of eligible voters cast ballots by noontime, according to the city's Elections Department.

The precinct with the highest number of total voters in District 4 as of noontime went to Dorchester Academy (the old Woodrow Wilson school) in Ward 17 (precinct 4.) Ward 17 in general was posting healthier vote totals— higher then counterparts in Wards 18 and 14 where balloting for the competitive D-4 race is ongoing.

Voting tallies are lower in the less competitive District 3, where Frank Baker, the incumbent, faces opponent Donnie Palmer. Tito Jackson is facing a nominal challenge in District 7 from Charles Clemons.

Five candidates are vying for four at-large council seats. Incumbents Ayanna Pressley, Michelle Wu, Michael Flaherty and Steve Murphy are all on the ballot, with Annissa Essaibi-George, a Dorchester resident, hoping to bump one of them from the winner's circle.

Polls stay open today until 8 p.m. Watch DotNews.com for results this evening. And follow our Twitter feed— @DotNews— for the results as they come into our newsroom.

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