Mayor Carlo DeMaria was the top vote getter on Primary Day Tuesday, grabbing an impressive 3,130 out of a possible 5,400 votes and sending a message that he will be tough to beat on November 5.
Alderman Robert Van Campen earned the second spot on the November Mayor’s ballot with a little over half of DeMaria’s vote at 1,624 votes, while Alderwoman Millie J. Cardello was eliminated from the Mayor’s race, with just 607 votes. There were a total of just 39 write-in and blank ballots in the mayor’s race, indicating that the vast majority of those who voted came to vote in the mayor’s race.
Despite a relatively low turnout, DeMaria showed great popularity with Everett voters, as the city’s new government prepares to take control on January 1, 2014. The winner of the November general election, will by the first Everett Mayor to serve a four-year term. In addition, the new 11-member City Council will take over for the current bi-cameral form of government.
If Van Campen is to pose a threat to the incumbent mayor in November, he will have to work hard to generate a much larger turnout at the polls.