Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

March 5, 2024

Cambridge InsideOut Episodes 611-612: March 5, 2024

Episode 611 – Cambridge InsideOut: Mar 5, 2024 (Part 1)

This episode was recorded on Mar 5, 2024 at 6:00pm. Topics: Super Tuesday; Iran voting boycott vs. campaign for “No Preference”; Trump vs. Biden; ward committees; City Council less dysfunctional, more collaborative w/City Manager; Finance Committee – levy projections, call for restraint, need to maintain excess levy capacity; use of operating budget for affordable housing has consequences; anticipated 10%+ annual increases in levy coming; fewer building permits – revenue not subject to Prop 2½ limits; commercial values relatively flat – shift of levy from commercial to residential; within residential, condos get sweetest deal after residential exemption and most of the increases borne by single-, two-, and three-family properties; need for intervention now to avoid future need for overrides; councillors had luxury for years in not having to think about limitations; FY24 consolidated spending categories; note that every stick of affordable housing (deed restrictions) has de minimis tax revenue – receive far more value in services that tax generated. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]


Episode 612 – Cambridge InsideOut: Mar 5, 2024 (Part 2)

This episode was recorded on Mar 5, 2024 at 6:30pm. Topics: Mar 4 City Council meeting; PERF report – police-involved shooting, good recommendations, positive evaluation of CPD practices, less-lethal options, CPD to be first in Mass. with policy on releasing names of involved officers; Central Square Lots Study in parallel with zoning changes; other assets, adjacent properties; everyone loves Central Square until they don’t; demise of current Starlight Square, need for replacement; contradictory signals on whether to gather more information or take action; exclusive focus on “affordable housing” creates net financial negative in perpetuity – math doesn’t work; plan in concert with privately-owned adjacent lots, e.g. Bishop Allen/Prospect, Green/Pleasant lot and Needle Exchange building; 44 years and 24 studies – the never-ending study of Central Square; not just about making everything bigger – need to make things better, more creative and more interesting; death of Paul Ryder; Charter Review update – next steps, desire to control process, facets of City government via Special Acts that should be part of Charter or at least be referenced – License Commission, Election Commission, Traffic Board, Cambridge Health Alliance, Cambridge Housing Authority, Cambridge Redevelopment Authority; housing-related orders re: real estate transfer tax and municipally-funded vouchers (a real budget buster); the more we fund affordable housing the wider the gap in affordability. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in these episodes]

February 24, 2024

Gently Stepping Forward – February 26, 2024 Cambridge City Council meeting

Gently Stepping Forward – February 26, 2024 Cambridge City Council meeting

City HallThe previous meeting featured some rather obvious jostling for position in the process of evaluating the recent Charter Review Final Report and deciding any charter change proposal. This week should bring even more of this power struggle when the question of “next steps” is taken up. The report has already been sent to the Law Department, the Election Commission, and perhaps more departments for review, but the question now is whether this should be initially vetted within the Government Operations Committee (chaired by Councillor Toner) or if Councillor Nolan (and perhaps others) will try to bypass that initial review by creating some kind of ad-hoc committee-of-the-whole so that she can gain more control of the process. This, of course, is intertwined with the election of Mayor Simmons who appoints all the City Council committees – and those appointments were done with some care.

I will say right now that some of the proposed Charter recommendations are virtually assured to be dead on arrival at the State House, but I don’t yet know if the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government (or whatever committee takes up such matters) can take an à-la-carte approach to proposed city charters or if it’s all-or-nothing. Before any modified Charter can go before Cambridge voters, it must first clear this hurdle.

I will also say that there are some aspects of the structure of Cambridge government that really should be rolled into any new Charter but which the Charter Review Committee never considered, e.g. the Special Acts that established/empowered the License Commission, the Election Commission, the Traffic Board, the Cambridge Health Alliance, the Cambridge Housing Authority, and the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority. It is commendable that the Committee chose to consolidate most of the charter specifics that were only referenced in the Plan E sections of M.G.L. Chapter 43 (sections 93-116) – at the suggestion of the Collins Center staff who were advising the Committee – but this was incomplete, probably because of lack of expertise on those specifics within the Collins Center staff. This is especially true of matters involving our proportional representation elections (an essential component of Plan E). There may be good reasons to leave some of these out of the Charter, but since they are part of how we do business, these questions should at least be part of the current discussion. [Needless to say, this should have been discussed within the now-dissolved Charter Review Committee, but that’s another conversation that has much to do with how that committee was formed.]

Here are the agenda items that caught my eye this week:

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments and reappointments of members to the Cambridge Bicycle Committee.
pulled by Nolan; PN wants committees to be “commissions” so that City Council would gain more control over these appointments, asks about whether diversity of opinion is a factor in appointments; Iram Farooq claims there is some diversity, but acknowledges that these committees are primarily advocates rather than representatives; Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments and reappointments of members to the Cambridge Pedestrian Committee.
pulled by Nolan; no additional comments; Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem Absent)

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, Policy Order Response #24-15 dated Feb 12, 2024 regarding drafting zoning language and related changes to allow for and encourage the continued growth, redevelopment, and evolution of Central Square. [text of report]
pulled by Sobrinho-Wheeler; JSW wants to know when this would go to Planning Board; Farooq says it goes to PB when petition is filed and during the process; Toner asks if this will build upon work already done; Farooq says YES, and that advisory committees need not be consulted (really?); Nolan suggests that better methods of informing community should be considered; Pickett asks if Central Square Lots study will be integrated and how; Farooq says study in its final stages; Wilson agrees re: communication with residents; Placed on File 8-0-1 (Azeem Absent)

Charter Right #1. That the Final Report of the Charter Review Committee be referred to the Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee. [Charter Right – Simmons, Feb 12, 2024]
Toner says conversation should start in Gov’t Operations Committee; Nolan OK with starting there, but says it should not stay there – noting that she and Siddiqui are “deeply involved in this” (quite the understatement); Pickett draws parallel with how possible Rules changes are now being considered in committee; Siddiqui OK with starting in committee, but will participate and “brainstorming” with suggestion of a robust process; Toner explains process of culling ideas from councillors, legal questions, timeline; Wilson wants a community conversation around this; Referred to Gov’t Ops. 8-0-1 (Azeem Absent)

Resolution #6. Resolution on the death of Charles Fried.   Councillor Nolan


Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to present recommendations for the refinement and improvement of the housing permitting process to the City Council, with a focus on reducing delays, minimizing costs, and enhancing clarity and accessibility for all stakeholders.   Councillor Azeem, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor McGovern, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Toner; Toner proposed amendments; JSW wants to keep “affordable” language, wants to add other groups for consultation; Toner motion to change “affordable housing” to “housing” Fails 2-6-1 (MM,PT-YES; PN,JP,SS,JSW,AW,DS-No; BA-Absent); Toner motion on simplifying processes to all housing and not just “affordable” housing, McGovern says middle-income housing should be included; Adopted 8-0-1; JSW motion to amend Toner motion to add two additional groups Adopted 8-0-1; Toner motion as amended Adopted 8-0-1; Order Adopted as Amended 8-0-1 (BA Absent)

Order #2. City Council support of H.4138, The Affordable Homes Act, and urge legislators to retain the provisions for a location option transfer fee.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Simmons
pulled by Toner; Toner will vote NO on proposed transfer fee; Nolan says Council has supported transfer fee in the past, delivers a prepared speech, says that this would not enact a tax or fee but only permit that local option (this is unbelievably naive), notes that legislation would set the range of possible fees, says this is about local control (but this begs the question about other proposed “local control” proposal to allow municipalities to create their own rent control laws); Nolan suggests motivation for supporting this is so that other municipalities would enact such a tax (again, very naive); McGovern concurs with Nolan, quotes David Kale in asserting that commercial transactions are lion’s share and that some residential exemptions could be made, expresses desire to take in as much revenue as possible; Pickett asks how this relates to existing Home Rule Petition now before the State Legislature, notes that there is already a $4.56/thousand stamp tax by state and that this would be on top of that; JSW uptalks that Legislature could act on our and Somerville’s and Cambridge’s petitions or pass current legislation, deflects by asserting that revenue raised could be used for other purposes; Pickett wants homeowners to gain maximum value in the sale of their greatest financial asset; Wilson offers generalities and suggestion that this might not lead to a tax; Simmons notes that we do use CPA fund for this but characterizes this as a “shortfall” and that (unlimited) more money is needed, notes Envision report and suggests that what we are doing is not enough; Order Adopted 6-2-1 (JP,PT – No; BA Absent)

Order #5. That the City Manager is hereby directed to confer with the City Manager’s Housing Liaison, Community Development Department, and the Cambridge Housing Authority on the feasibility of municipally-funded housing vouchers.   Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Azeem, Councillor Wilson
pulled by Siddiqui; comments by Siddiqui, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Wilson, Pickett (who offers amendments); Nolan supports order and JP amendments; McGovern asks of motion-makers are OK with the amendments; Wilson supports amendments; both JP amendments adopted 8-0-1; Order Adopted as Amended 8-0-1

Order #6. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council with the data analysis included in the Economic Feasibility Analysis provided to EOHLC as part of Cambridge’s MBTA Communities final compliance submission.   Councillor Toner, Vice Mayor McGovern, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Toner; Order Adopted 8-0-1

February 21, 2024

Cambridge InsideOut Episodes 609-610: February 20, 2024

Episode 609 – Cambridge InsideOut: Feb 20, 2024 (Part 1)

This episode was recorded on Feb 20, 2024 at 6:00pm. Topics: Local News – Cambridge and beyond; Valentine’s Day – 46 years; City Council Goals & Objectives; the ordeal of facilitation and training; the value of informality and interaction in committee meetings; 311 vs. SeeClickFix vs. an Ombudsman vs. a simple phone call; benefiting from the existence of a problem; pros and cons of a good idea; upside-down priorities – the essential difference between a city manager and a strong mayor system. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]


Episode 610 – Cambridge InsideOut: Feb 20, 2024 (Part 2)

This episode was recorded on Feb 20, 2024 at 6:30pm. Topics: Ambiguity in affordable housing – buy vs. rent, market vs. subsidized; the DEI lens – one lens in addition to effectiveness, efficient delivery of services, and transparency; Envision – quote it when it suits you, ignore it when it doesn’t; the mythology of Central Square progress; Cycling Safety update – drawing conclusions from the inconclusive; Community Safety update – tiptoeing around the HEART problem; foreign policy or not; Charter Review Report gets political right out of the gate. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in these episodes]

February 7, 2024

Cambridge InsideOut Episodes 607-608: February 6, 2024

Episode 607 – Cambridge InsideOut: Feb 6, 2024 (Part 1)

This episode was recorded on Feb 6, 2024 at 6:00pm. Topics: Charles Fried and a Capitol tale; Peter Valentine archive; Mapping Black Cambridge; campaign finance wrap-up; Gaza capitulation and activist misbehavior; the long history of foreign policy at the Cambridge City Council; City gobbling up Central Square; what’s in store for ’24. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]


Episode 608 – Cambridge InsideOut: Feb 6, 2024 (Part 2)

This episode was recorded on Feb 6, 2024 at 6:30pm. Topics: Foreign policy; Charter Review Final Report – manager vs. mayor, voting age, non-citizen voting, even-year elections, citizen assemblies – a critique; dysfunction in how we involve residents in decision-making; City Council “finding itself”, coming to terms with prioritization; City Council committee appointments; fending off the socialists; smart ideas vs. unreasonable mandates; better ways to manage public meetings with less Zoom and more interaction. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in these episodes]

February 6, 2024

Cambridge Municipal Election News – 2023

Filed under: 2023 election,Cambridge,elections — Tags: , , , — Robert Winters @ 2:45 pm

Cambridge Municipal Election News

Nov 18 – I got the ballot data for the recent municipal election last night, did my usual tests, and everything checks out (as, of course, it should). I also determined who all the replacements would be should any of the newly elected officials vacate their seat. (More on that later.) Later today I will be doing additional analysis and posting some of the more interesting results. The closeness of the final School Committee results (8 vote difference) creates the possibility that a recount may be sought, but there are good reasons for not doing so. Andrew King has until Wed, Nov 22 at 5:00pm to file signatures seeking a recount if he chooses to proceed with that option. [Update – Andrew King has decided to not seek a recount, so the election results are final.] – RW

City Council #1 Votes by Ward/Precinct     School Committee #1 Votes by Ward/Precinct

City Council #2 Vote Distribution     School Committee #2 Vote Distribution

City Council Replacements – in the event of a vacancy
Burhan Azeem –> Adrienne Klein
Marc McGovern –> Adrienne Klein
Patricia Nolan –> Cathie Zusy
Joan Pickett –> Cathie Zusy
Sumbul Siddiqui –> Ayah Al-Zubi
Denise Simmons –> Joe McGuirk
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler –> Dan Totten
Paul Toner –> John Hanratty
Ayesha Wilson –> Joe McGuirk


Nov 17Final Official Election Results. The winners in the City Council election have not changed. However, in the School Committee election, Richard Harding is now the last person elected (by a margin of 8 votes) over Andrew King. – RW

City Council (in order of election):
Sumbul Siddiqui
Burhan Azeem
Marc C. McGovern
Patricia M. Nolan
Paul F. Toner
Jivan G. Sobrinho-Wheeler
E. Denise Simmons
Ayesha M. Wilson
Joan F. Pickett
School Committee (in order of election):
Rachel B. Weinstein
Elizabeth Clark Polner Hudson
David J. Weinstein
Caroline M. Hunter
José Luis Rojas Villarreal
Richard Harding
Round-by-Round Results (PDF) – official City version Round-by-Round Results (PDF) – official City version
Spreadsheet (PDF) – with transfer details Spreadsheet (PDF) – with transfer details

Cost per #1 Vote – City Council 2023 Cost per #1 Vote – School Committee 2023
 
City Council Cost per #1 Votes
 
School Committee Cost per #1 Votes

Here Come the Slates — For better or worse, the various candidate slates are taking shape (Sept 27, updated Oct 24):

Cambridge Citizens Coalition (CCC)
For City Council:
Joan Pickett
Doug Brown
Cathie Zusy
Robert Winters
Ayesha Wilson
John Hanratty
Federico Muchnik
Hao Wang
Carrie Pasquarello
Patty Nolan
Paul Toner

For School Committee:
Elizabeth Hudson
Robert “Bobby” Travers
José Luis Rojas Villarreal

Cambridge Voters for Good Government (CV4GG)
For City Council
:
Cathie Zusy
Ayesha Wilson
Joan Pickett
Paul Toner
Carrie Pasquarello
Robert Winters
Hao Wang
A Better Cambridge (ABC)
For City Council
:
Burhan Azeem
Adrienne Klein
Marc McGovern
Joe McGuirk
Frantz Pierre
Sumbul Siddiqui
E. Denise Simmons
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler
Ayesha Wilson

Our Revolution Cambridge (ORC)
For City Council
:
Ayah Al-Zubi
Joe McGuirk
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler
Dan Totten
Vernon Walker

For School Committee:
Richard Harding
Andrew King
José Luis Rojas Villarreal
David Weinstein
Rachel Weinstein

Cambridge Residents Alliance (CResA)
For City Council
:
Ayah Al-Zubi
Doug Brown
Patty Nolan
Sumbul Siddiqui
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler
Dan Totten
Vernon Walker
Ayesha Wilson
Boston Democratic Socialists of America (BDSA)
For City Council:
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler
Dan Totten

Who has been raising and spending money? [Feb 2, 2022 – present]
(source – Mass. Office of Campaign and Political Finance)
Note: Expenditures last updated Jan 31, 2024.
Note: You may have to “Clear Cache” in order to refresh some of the embedded charts/tables for campaign finance.

City Council Campaign Finance – Sorted by Receipts
CC campaign finance 2023

2023 Cambridge Candidate Pages     Calendar of 2023 Election-related events


City Council Campaign Finance – Sorted by Expenditures
Expenses


Periodic OCPF Bank Reports
OCPF Periodic Bank Reports

Union Contributions to Candidates – Incumbency Protection

 
Union Contributions
 
  
Union donations to candidates

School Committee Campaign Finance
School Committee Campaign Finance


Candidates on the November 2023 ballot
City Council: (24 candidates for 9 seats)   School Committee: (11 candidates for 6 seats)
Ayah Al-Zubi, 2B Dodge St., 02139 Alborz Bejnood, 166 Auburn St., Apt B, 02139
Burhan Azeem, 96 Berkshire St., 02141 Richard Harding, 189 Windsor St. #1, 02139
Doug Brown, 35 Standish St., 02138 Elizabeth Hudson, 236 Walden St., 02140
John Hanratty, 15 Mt. Vernon St. #7, 02140 Caroline Hunter, 23 Rockwell St., 02139
Peter Hsu, 70 Gore St. #2, 02141 Andrew King, 71 Chilton St., 02138
Adrienne Klein, 7 Beech St. #308, 02140 Frantz Pierre, 22 Water St. #808, 02141
Marc McGovern, 17 Pleasant St., 02139 José Luis Rojas Villarreal, 19 Cornelius Way, 02141
Joe McGuirk, 314 Columbia St. #1, 02139 Eugenia Schraa Huh, 259 Washington St., 02139
Gregg J. Moree, 25 Fairfield St., 02140 Robert V. Travers, Jr., 54 Fulkerson St., 02141
Federico Muchnik, 82 Richdale Ave., 02140 David J. Weinstein, 45 S. Normandy Ave., 02138
Patricia Nolan, 184 Huron Ave., 02138 Rachel Weinstein, 60 Standish St., 02138
Carrie Pasquarello, 230 Upland Rd., 02140

Vote!

Joan Pickett, 59 Ellery St. #1, 02138
Frantz Pierre, 22 Water St. #808, 02141
Sumbul Siddiqui, 283 Sydney St. #3, 02139
E. Denise Simmons, 188 Harvard St., 02139
Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler, 187 Brookline St. #3, 02139
Paul Toner, 24 Newman St., 02140
Dan Totten, 54 Bishop Allen Dr. #2, 02139
Vernon Walker, 165 Main St. #1205, 02139
Hao Wang, 1 Longfellow Rd., 02138
Ayesha M. Wilson, 15 Concord Ave., 02138
Robert Winters, 366 Broadway, 02139
Catherine Zusy, 202 Hamilton St., 02139

January 5, 2024

The New City Council Begins to Take Shape – January 8, 2024 Cambridge City Council meeting

The New City Council Begins to Take Shape – January 8, 2024 Cambridge City Council meeting

Clean SlateDuring Mayor Simmons’ remarks at the Jan 1 Inaugural meeting, she made reference to beginning the new City Council term with a clean slate. A lot of people feel the same way – including me. It’s almost guaranteed that some bad behavior will follow – especially if some councillors engage in shallow populism – but hopefully there will be enough fortitude to call BS when that needs to be said, and that goes triply if we continue to see the kind of unchallenged displays like we witnessed during the Inaugural meeting.

I was especially pleased to see the City Manager’s communication regarding the eternal backlog of “Awaiting Report” items – most of which really should not have been carried forward to the new City Council term. This is not to say that there are few things worthy of consideration on the list – only that it would be better to set some priorities first. City Council policy orders should not be “Letters to Santa” or “make work projects” for campaign workers occupying patronage positions as City Council Aides.

Here are the notable items in this week’s agenda (in my opinion, of course):

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Policy Orders and Awaiting Reports for the New Term.
pulled by Toner; Rules Suspended 9-0 to bring forward Comm. & Reports #2; Toner says he intends to move to place all Awaiting Report Items on File; Manager explains desire for Council to collaborate and prioritize; McGovern, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui, Toner, Nolan, Wilson, Azeem, Pickett, Simmons remarks; Simmons notes need to update City Council Goals which have not changed since 2017, notes difference between goals and policy orders; Toner motion to place Comm & Rpts #2 and all items on Awaiting Report on File Approved 5-4 (BA,MM,JP,PT,DS – Yes; PN,SS,JSW,AW – No); Manager’s Communication #4 referred to Gov’t Operations 9-0

118 Communications (really 121 topics) — The tally is 51 on the proposed (and failed) BEUDO amendment to the amendments; 41 on Zondervan’s order re: police procedures; 22 calling on the City to evict Elbit Systems from Cambridge (mainly from people who don’t live in Cambridge); 4 protesting the City Council’s Nov 20 “Present” vote calling for a ceasefire in Gaza; 2 pro-municipal broadband; 1 anti-municipal broadband; 1 supporting of the Freedmen’s Commission, and 1 regarding traffic on N. Mass. Ave.

I’m highlighting these communications primarily to point out what may well have been the single most stupid idea floated at the last Charter Review Committee meeting – namely a proposal to require a pro/con tally of all public comment and communications to the City Council on various issues. For starters (and this was pointed out by more sensible voices), not every opinion is pro or con. There can be nuanced points of view (like almost all of my points of view). Also, those who are reasonably satisfied with the status quo rarely feel compelled to make public comment. Most public comment these days tends to be reflection of political organizing and often consists of less-than-well-informed diatribes (e.g., the belief that the City Council or the City Administration can evict a commercial tenant (Elbit Systems) associated with a country now in disfavor among the extreme left, or the fascist belief that the Planning Board could support zoning that singles out particular companies). “Direct Democracy” can be very appealing – until you realize that it can be little more than mob rule. I’ll choose representative democracy every time – even when I have concerns about the wisdom or the representativeness of the representatives.


Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to consult DPW, CDD, IQHQ, Friends of Jerry’s Pond, Alewife Study Group and Mass Audubon about further changes and enhancements to Jerry’s Pond, improvements to the shoreline ecology and other improvements to the current plans for the Rindge Avenue public edge along Jerry’s Pond and investigate funding sources for such plans including the use of City moneys and resources.   Councillor Wilson, Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor McGovern
pulled early by Toner; remarks by Wilson, McGovern, Siddiqui, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Toner, Nolan, Pickett, Azeem; Deputy City Manager Owen O’Riordan, DPW Commissioner Kathy Watkins respond; Order Fails 4-5 (MM,SS,JSW,AW – Yes; BA,PN,JP,PT,DS – No)

Committee Report #1. The Neighborhood and Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, and Arts and Celebration Committee held a public hearing on Sept 27, 2023 to discuss the future treatment of Jerry’s Pond, specifically the Rindge Avenue edge as it affects the community. The meeting on Sept 27, 2023 was recessed and reconvened on Dec 13, 2023. [text of report]
pulled by Toner (early); Placed on File 9-0


Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to consult with relevant staff to consider using remaining ARPA funding to create a tuition relief opportunity with Lesley University for Cambridge employees and residents.   Councillor Siddiqui, Councillor Wilson, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Mayor Simmons
Order Adopted 9-0

Note: The meeting began in the Sullivan Chamber but was disrupted by the same petulant nitwits who disrupted the City Council Inauguration a week earlier. The remainder of the meeting was conducted in Zoom, and all public commenters who insisted on bringing up matters not on the agenda were summarily muted (in accordance with City Council Rules). – Robert Winters

January 2, 2024

Cambridge InsideOut Episodes 603-604: January 2, 2024

Episode 603 – Cambridge InsideOut: Jan 2, 2024 (Part 1)

This episode was recorded on Jan 2, 2024 at 6:00pm. Topics: City Council and School Committee Inaugural Meetings – entertainment courtesy of PSL (Party for Socialism and Liberation); Mayor Denise Simmons; protests and groupthink; Simmons appointments guaranteed better than predecessor; Charter considerations pending; Resignation of Harvard President Claudine Gay and other Harvard observations; university presidents as fundraisers. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]


Episode 604 – Cambridge InsideOut: Jan 2, 2024 (Part 2)

This episode was recorded on Jan 2, 2024 at 6:30pm. Topics: Globe article on Bernie Goldberg, Brookline Lunch; Charter Review Committee – horror of Zoom-only process, nothing binding, strong mayor vs. manager form, bad behavior of CRC member(s), voting age, non-citizen voting, term length, recall provisions, at-large PR elections, citizen assemblies, citizen petitions, citizen initiative petitions, late proposals rejected, policy order vs. “action” orders; some highlights/lowlights of 2022-23 City Council term. Host: Robert Winters [On YouTube] [audio]

[Materials used in these episodes]

November 26, 2023

Voter Success and Number of Candidates – Cambridge Municipal Elections

Voter Success in Cambridge Elections

The table below indicates the percentage of ballots for which the #1 ranked candidate was elected; the percentage of ballots for which the #1 or #2 ranked candidate was elected; and the percentage of ballots for which the #1, #2, or #3 ranked candidate was elected. (updated Nov 26, 2023 from Nov 2017 original posting)

Voter Success in Cambridge Elections
Election elect candidates valid invalid total
ballots
Quota Pct #1
elected
Pct #1 or #2
elected
Pct #1, #2,
or #3 elected
Pct none
elected
Pct
blank
1997 Council 9 19 16879 350 17229 1688 88.7 96.2 97.6 1.6 0.3
1999 Council 9 24 18777 384 19161 1878 76.5 92.5 95.5 3.0 0.5
2001 Council 9 19 17126 562 17688 1713 83.8 94.0 96.2 2.8 1.1
2003 Council 9 20 20080 878 20958 2009 72.7 87.0 91.0 6.7 2.0
2005 Council 9 18 16070 132 16202 1608 78.7 93.4 96.1 2.6 0.5
2007 Council 9 16 13633 88 13721 1364 79.3 93.2 96.0 2.9 0.4
2009 Council 9 21 15995 118 16073 1596 75.1 90.9 94.1 4.3 0.6
2011 Council 9 18 15845 126 15971 1585 77.8 92.6 95.5 3.3 0.5
2013 Council 9 25 17743 103 17846 1775 68.6 87.8 93.0 4.9 0.4
2015 Council 9 23 17854 105 17959 1786 71.7 90.4 94.8 3.3 0.3
2017 Council 9 26 22524 72 22596 2253 68.7 87.0 92.8 4.7 0.2
2019 Council 9 22 21239 85 21324 2124 70.5 89.4 95.4 2.2 0.2
2021 Council 9 19 21814 260 22074 2182 75.1 91.2 95.4 2.5 0.8
2023 Council 9 24 23339 173 23512 2334 72.2 88.4 94.3 2.2 0.3
Election elect candidates valid invalid total
ballots
Quota Pct #1
elected
Pct #1 or #2
elected
Pct #1, #2,
or #3 elected
Pct none
elected
Pct
blank
1997 School 6 8 16386 285 16671 2341 83.3 96.4 97.6 2.4 0.1
1999 School 6 13 17961 307 18268 2566 76.0 91.1 94.4 4.7 0.1
2001 School 6 10 16489 1160 17649 2360 76.2 90.5 92.6 7.1 4.8
2003 School 6 8 18698 2210 20908 2672 81.9 89.7 90.0 10.0 8.8
2005 School 6 8 15470 719 16189 2211 77.4 90.6 93.1 6.9 4.2
2007 School 6 9 13276 433 13709 1897 77.0 91.2 92.7 7.1 3.0
2009 School 6 9 15423 549 15972 2204 72.6 90.1 91.6 8.4 3.3
2011 School 6 11 15290 614 15904 2185 77.6 90.3 92.2 6.9 3.6
2013 School 6 9 16592 1128 17720 2371 80.9 90.0 91.2 8.5 6.2
2015 School 6 11 16797 1062 17859 2400 69.2 84.7 88.0 11.1 5.7
2017 School 6 12 20708 1744 22452 2959 67.2 81.5 85.2 13.3 7.7
2019 School 6 11 19425 1712 21137 2776 69.9 84.8 87.8 11.6 8.1
2021 School 6 9 20017 1824 21841 2860 75.5 87.0 89.6 9.9 8.0
2023 School 6 11 21255 1837 23092 3037 66.1 84.1 87.8 11.6 7.5

Note: Almost all of the invalid ballots were blank ballots. It’s common that some voters will vote only the City Council ballot and cast a blank School Committee ballot.

Number of Candidates

Here’s the whole history of the number of candidates going back to 1941 (CC for City Council and SC for School Committee).
Any significant write-in candidates are included in the totals. (updated from Oct 2017 original posting)

Number of candidates in Cambridge municipal elections: 1941-present
Year CC SC     Year CC SC     Year CC SC     Year CC SC     Year CC SC
1941 83 28   1961 23 16   1981 25 13   2001 19 10   2021 19 9
1943 39 19   1963 22 17   1983 16 16   2003 20 8   2023 24 11
1945 37 14   1965 24 13   1985 22 9   2005 18 8        
1947 34 18   1967 20 18   1987 19 13   2007 16 9        
1949 40 16   1969 26 14   1989 28 8   2009 21 9        
1951 27 15   1971 36 22   1991 19 12   2011 18 11        
1953 35 18   1973 34 26   1993 29 11   2013 25 9        
1955 41 19   1975 25 16   1995 19 11   2015 23 11        
1957 35 26   1977 24 10   1997 20 8   2017 26 12        
1959 31 21   1979 23 12   1999 24 13   2019 22 11        
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