Milton Town Election: Close Races and New Faces

The 2012 Milton Annual Town Election was filled with close races and the results proved it.

Denis Keohane defeated incumbent Selectman John Shields, while Susan Galvin was elected the new Town Clerk. Jim Henderson will join the Board of Assessors after a 26-vote victory over Bill Bennett. Michael Kelly took the closest margin on Tuesday, winning a seat on the Planning Board over Cheryl Tougias, by just seven votes.

The first position on the ballot, and in many people’s opinions, in importance, was the Board of Selectmen race. Shields, who has served two separate stints as a Selectman, was challenged by Keohane, a current School Committee member.

Keohane secured 49 percent of the vote the Sheilds’ 46 percent. The new Selectman took the majority of votes in six of Milton’s 10 precincts.

The Town Clerk campaign featured three candidates with vastly different experience. Susan Galvin, the current Assistant Town Clerk, earned 37 percent of the vote and the job. Michael Joyce, the 21-year-old challenger, finished second with 32 percent of the vote.

Marion McEttrick finished close behind with 30 percent.

On the Assessor ticket, Henderson was elected after his third campaign for the position. Henderson took seven precincts to Bennett’s three, but the margin of victory was a slender 26 votes.

In the closest race of the election, Kelly won the vacant seat on the Planning Board over Tougias. Tougias won 6 precincts, but Kelly’s 2,721 votes gave him the position.

In the race for Milton Public Library trustees, Barbara Mason and Brendan McLaughlin were reelected. Herbert Voigt defeated Sheryl Fleitman for the third available seat.

Click here for the full election results, including the Town Meeting member elections.