Report — The Berkshire 3rd District votes: here is a report of 100% of votes cast by candidate
Leigh Davis: 3961 (55.9% for Davis)
Patrick White: 2667 (37.6% for White)
Jamie Minacci: 456 (6% for Minacci)
TOTAL VOTES CAST: 7084 (100% of votes cast)
In 2022 (the last official count), the total number of registered voters in Berkshire County was 95,390. Of that number, 33,290 were registered in the Berkshire 3rd, broken down as follows:
ALFORD: 371
BECKET: 1,814
DALTON: 4,804
EGREMONT: 1,115
GREAT BARRINGTON: 5,152
LEE: 2,559
LENOX: 3,853
MONTEREY: 760
MOUNT WASHINGTON: 140
NEW MARLBOROUGH: 1,219
OTIS: 1,548
RICHMOND: 1,289
SANDISFIELD: 658
SHEFFIELD: 2,609
STOCKBRIDGE: 1,688
TYRINGHAM: 368
WASHINGTON: 410
WEST STOCKBRIDGE: 1,194
That means approximately 20% of registered voters in the Berkshire 3rd District voted — 80% did not. 20% of possible voters elected the Democratic candidate who will run in the general election for our next state representative.
The other candidate on the ballot in November will be a registered Independent and therefore only needed 150 certified signatures to get on the ballot. So, with 33,290 voters in the district, roughly 4100 voters, or just over 12%, selected the two candidates in the general election.
It is true: decisions are made by those who show up.
The estimated populations of the 18 municipalities in Berkshire 3rd listed do not add up to 33,290. The figures are from two different sources — federal and state – one differs from the other by about 1000 voters. Furthermore, 33,290 was reported in 2022 and has increased steadily since. For example, Sheffield reports an increase of 115 voters and Lee of over 300 voters. Nevertheless, the approximations make the point. Vote! The true number of registered voters has increased, and the total number that actually voted remains 7084, therefore, the actual percentage is less than 20%. We should all vote!
A Snapshot of Primary Election Day September 2024
SU asked Town Clerks in the Berkshire 3rd District if the very low turnout was surprising. Sadly it was not. One clerk agreed that the turnout was “definitely not good,” and definitely expected. “It was par for a primary.”
One clerk said she thought primaries confused voters. For example, one asked her, “why isn’t Kamala on the ballot?” another told her later, “Oh, I missed it. I was waiting for November.”
Thank you to all the Town Clerks who spoke with SU.
