1981 Boston City Council election

none September 2023 1981 Boston City Council election Boston Presidential 1979 Boston City Council election 1979 November 3, 1981 1983 Boston City Council election 1983 Boston Boston City Council election was held on November 3, 1981, with preliminary elections on September 21, 1981. This election was the final one before the Council transitioned from having 9 members (all at-large) to having 13 members (9 district representatives and 4 at-large). Candidates Six of the nine incumbents (Raymond Flynn, Christopher A. Iannella, Frederick C. Langone, Patrick F. McDonough, Dapper O'Neil, & Joseph M. Tierney) ran for reelection. Lawrence DiCara, Rosemarie Sansone, and John W. Sears chose not to run. Elected Bruce Bolling, aide to Boston mayor Kevin White. Raymond Flynn, member of the Boston City Council since 1978. Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1971 to 1979. Maura Hennigan, registered dietician and former Boston Public Schools teacher. Daughter of James W. Hennigan Jr. and granddaughter of James W. Hennigan Sr. Christopher A. Iannella, member of the Boston City Council since 1970. Previously served on the council from 1958 to 1968. Frederick C. Langone, member of the Boston City Council since 1973, previously served from 1964 to 1971 and in 1961. Michael J. McCormack, Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Terence P. McDermott, attorney Dapper O'Neil, member of the Boston City Council since 1971. Joseph M. Tierney, member of the Boston City Council since 1972. Lost in general election Francis X. Coppinger, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1975 to 1977 and previously from 1969 to 1973. James M. Kelly, metal worker and anti-busing activist. Pamela J. Gilman, former project director of Boston's Economic Development Industrial Commission and special assistant for the Massachusetts Office of Federal and State Relations. Craig Lankhorst, former Boston Public School teacher.Candidates for the City Council... The Boston Globe September 16, 1981 Patrick F. McDonough, member of the Boston City Council since 1972. Previously served on the council from 1956 to 1964 and 1966 to 1970. Gerard P. McHale, former Boston Police officer (1980 to 1981), administrative assistant to the Boston Office of Public Facilities (1976 to 1980), and assistant director for the Boston Office of Personnel (1974 to 1976). Edmund McNamara, Commissioner of the Boston Police Department from 1962 to 1972. David Scondras, community activist. Charles Yancey, director of administration for the Massachusetts Office of Communities and Development from 1978 to 1979. Eliminated in preliminary election John B'Smith III, bar manager. William G. Broderick, real estate broker and retired state police detectiveObituary for William G. Broderick https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-obituary-for-william-g/152855616 The Boston Globe September 22, 2025 36 April 15, 2001 Warren I. Brown, Boston public school teacher since 1955. David F. Burnes, functional hall manager and Democratic State Committee member. Joseph W. Casper, founder of a human rights organization, funeral home manager, and former director of marketing for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (1967 to 1977). Thomas P. Casserly, owner of a wholesale scrap metal and paper goods company. Edward J. DeSantis, district superintendent for the Metropolitan District Commission. Joseph T. Fitzpatrick, librarian in the Boston Public Library system. Althea Garrison, employee of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. Francis X. Goode, Boston city assessor since 1972. John P. Grady, head basketball coach at Don Bosco Technical High School and Boston youth activities manager. Richard B. Hogan, city hall employee during the Kevin White administration. John F. Melia, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1965 to 1981. Stephen G. Michaels, attorney and insurance company owner. Brian Hickey, manager of the Charlestown "Little City Hall" from 1979 to 1981. Frederick T. Scopa, senior administrative assistant for Boston's Real Property Department. Former technical assistant and training coordinator for the Employment and Economic Policy Administration. John S. MacDonald, assistant director of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers since 1978. Joseph E. Maher, member of the Boston Fire Department since 1974. Edward M. McCormack, principal of the Holy Childhood School at Nazareth since 1968. David Alan Mittell Jr., Boston public school teacher and coach. John K. Rees, anti-nuclear activist. Maureen Craven Slade, registered nurse and anti-abortion activist. Results The top 18 candidates in the preliminary election moved on to the November general election. The top nine candidates in the November election were seated on the city council. CandidatesPreliminary electionAnnual Report of the Election Department 1982 43 Boston [Election Dept.] https://archive.org/details/annualreportofbo1981bost/page/43/mode/2up?view=theaterGeneral electionAnnual Report of the Election Department 1982 70 Boston [Election Dept.] https://archive.org/details/annualreportofbo1981bost/page/70/mode/2up?view=theaterVotes%Votes% Raymond Flynn (incumbent) 31,898 7.77 53,136 9.54 Christopher A. Iannella (incumbent) 25,462 6.20 44,621 8.01 Dapper O'Neil (incumbent) 24,240 5.91 40,474 7.27 Frederick C. Langone (incumbent) 23,000 5.60 39,780 7.14 Joseph M. Tierney (incumbent) 17,649 4.30 35,185 6.32 Michael J. McCormack 14,178 3.45 33,861 6.08 Terence P. McDermott 11,981 2.92 31,707 5.69 Maura Hennigan 14,325 3.49 31,637 5.68 Bruce Bolling 15,273 3.72 30,672 5.51 James M. Kelly 14,941 3.64 30,079 5.40 Patrick F. McDonough (incumbent) 17,165 4.18 29,591 5.31 Edmund McNamara 12,007 2.93 29,301 5.26 David Scondras 11,616 2.83 28,571 5.13 Charles Yancey 12,378 3.02 27,007 4.85 Francis X. Coppinger 11,034 2.69 21,675 3.89 Craig Lankhorst 10,301 2.51 20,769 3.73 Pamela J. Gilman 10,070 2.45 14,776 2.65 Gerard P. McHale 10,407 2.54 14,173 2.54 Joseph W. Casper 9,906 2.41 Frederick T. Scopa 9,444 2.30 John F. Melia 8,788 2.14 Stephen G. Michaels 8,325 2.03 Brian Hickey 8,222 2.00 John P. Grady 7,855 1.91 Richard B. Hogan 7,794 1.90 Edward M. McCormack 7,610 1.85 William G. Broderick 7,134 1.74 Joseph E. Maher 6,269 1.53 Maureen Craven Slade 5,759 1.40 Althea Garrison 5,442 1.33 Joseph T. Fitzpatrick 3,947 0.96 David F. Burnes 3,784 0.92 David Alan Mittell Jr. 3,660 0.89 Francis X. Goode 3,227 0.79 Thomas P. Casserly 3,005 0.73 Warren I. Brown 3,001 0.73 John S. MacDonald 2,881 0.70 Edward J. DeSantis 2,688 0.65 John B’Smith III 1,936 0.47 John K. Rees 1,791 0.44 References City Council election Category:Boston City Council elections Boston City Council election Boston City Council Category:Raymond Flynn