2009 Boston mayoral election

2009 Boston mayoral election
← 2005
November 3, 2009
2013 →
 
Candidate Thomas Menino Michael F. Flaherty
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
Popular vote 63,123 46,768
Percentage 57.27% 42.43%
Menino:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Flaherty:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Tie:     40–50%
Mayor before election

Thomas Menino

 Elected mayor

Thomas Menino

The 2009 Boston mayoral election occurred on Tuesday, November 3, 2009, between incumbent Mayor of Boston Thomas Menino, and Michael F. Flaherty, member of the Boston City Council and former Council president. Menino was re-elected to a fifth term, the first mayor to do so in Boston history. A nonpartisan municipal preliminary election was held on September 22, 2009, where Flaherty and Menino advanced to the general election.

31% of registered voters turned out to vote in the election.

Campaign

Menino considered support from Black voters as crucial to securing his re-election. Despite occasionally being at political odds with black elected officials on the Boston City Council and in the state legislature, Menino had enjoyed strong support from black voters in all of his mayoral races. In recognition of this, Menino held his campaign launch event at Hibernian Hall in the Dudley Square area of Roxbury and featured a number of prominent black public political figures at the launch (including State Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry, State Rep. Marie St. Fleur, and Suffolk County Sheriff Andrea Cabral).

After the preliminary election, Flaherty and fellow-Councillor Sam Yoon, who had finished third, declared they had formed a ticket. If Flaherty were victorious, he vowed to appoint Yoon deputy mayor, a position that had not existed in Boston since the administration of Kevin White, who left office in 1984. Kevin McRea also announced that he would endorse Flaherty. Details of the position, including salary, were never finalized.

Following the preliminary election, Flaherty immediately began an aggressive campaign, attacking Menino as ineffectual.

Candidates

Candidates who advanced to general election

Candidate Experience Announced Ref
The following candidates advanced to the general election held on November 3

Michael F. Flaherty		 Boston city councilor at-large since 2000
Former president of the Boston City Council (2002–2006)		 January 25, 2009

Thomas Menino		 Incumbent mayor of Boston since 1993 April 22, 2009

Candidates eliminated in the primary

Candidate Experience Announced Ref
The following candidates were eliminated in the primary election and did not advance to the general election

Kevin McCrea		 Businessman
2005 Boston City Council candidate		 January 23, 2009

Sam Yoon		 Boston city councilor at-large since 2006 March 3, 2009

Primary election

Endorsements

Michael F. Flaherty

Labor unions

Newspapers and publications

Sam Yoon

State officials

  • Mel King, former state representative for the 9th Suffolk District; candidate for mayor in 1983
  • Bill Owens, former state senator

Individuals

Results

2009 Boston Mayoral preliminary election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Thomas Menino 41,086 50.52
Nonpartisan Michael F. Flaherty 19,480 23.95
Nonpartisan Sam Yoon 17,207 21.16
Nonpartisan Kevin McCrea 3,350 4.12
Write-in 199 0.24
Total votes 81,322 100

General election

Endorsements

Names in bold endorsed after the preliminary election.

Michael F. Flaherty

State officials

  • Mel King, former state representative for the 9th Suffolk District; candidate for mayor in 1983

Local officials

Labor unions

Newspapers and publications

Results

2009 Boston mayoral general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Nonpartisan Thomas Menino 63,123 57.27
Nonpartisan Michael F. Flaherty 46,768 42.43
Write-in 331 0.40
Total votes 110,222 100

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Results" (PDF). www.cityofboston.gov. November 3, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Results" (PDF). www.cityofboston.gov. November 3, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2019.
  3. 1 2 Miller, Yawu (May 6, 2009). "At-large bid has Ezedi back on city pol scene – The Bay State Banner". Bay State Banner. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  4. ↑ Miller, Yawu (November 5, 2024). "Boston Residents Mourn Death of City's Longest-Serving Mayor". Bay State Banner. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  5. ↑ Levenson, Michael (September 29, 2009). "Yoon is joining Flaherty as deputy". The Boston Globe. p. B.1. Retrieved March 2, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  6. 1 2 "Former Rivals Flaherty, Yoon Team Up To Take On Menino". WBUR. September 29, 2009. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  7. ↑ Weir, Richard (October 29, 2009). "Kevin McCrea to announce endorsement of Michael Flaherty". Boston Herald. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  8. ↑ Levenson, Michael; Slack, Donovan (September 24, 2009). "With odds steep, Flaherty comes out swinging". Boston.com. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Unofficial election results". Boston.gov. October 3, 2016.
  10. ↑ Drake, John C. (January 26, 2009). "Flaherty starts his mayoral quest". The Boston Globe. p. A.1. Retrieved March 2, 2018 – via pqarchiver.com.
  11. ↑ Thys, Fred (April 22, 2009). "Supporters To Gather Downtown For Menino Campaign Kick-Off". www.wbur.org. WBUR-FM. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Kevin McCrea announces his candidacy for mayor". Boston Herald. January 23, 2009. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  13. ↑ 'Yoon announces candidacy for mayor', The Boston Globe February 8, 2009
  14. 1 2 Keohane, Joe (July 24, 2021). "Man Versus Machine". Boston Magazine. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  15. 1 2 Boston Globe Editorial Board (September 20, 2009). "Our choice for mayoral final: Menino vs. Flaherty". The Boston Globe. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via Boston.com.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Wedge, Dave (April 15, 2009). "Five labor unions kick-start effort to re-elect Thomas Menino". Boston Herald. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  17. 1 2 Gaffin, Adam (June 2, 2009). "Gay-rights group endorses Menino". Universal Hub. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  18. ↑ Gaffin, Adam (August 10, 2009). "Mel King endorses Sam Yoon". Universal Hub. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  19. ↑ Weir, Richard (August 11, 2009). "Sam Yoon gains Mel King's favor". Boston Herald. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  20. ↑ Derjue, Amy (September 25, 2008). "Gather Ye Endorsements While Ye May". Boston Magazine. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  21. ↑ "2009 - 09-22-09 - Mayor - Ward & Precinct Results.xls" (PDF). City of Boston. 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2025.
  22. 1 2 Weir, Richard (October 15, 2009). "Raymond Flynn, Mel King pledge their support for Floon". Boston Herald. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  23. ↑ Editorial (November 4, 2009). "For Mayor: Vote Flaherty + Yoon". Boston Phoenix. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  24. 1 2 Conti, Matt (November 1, 2009). "Mayoral Political Article Roundup". North End Waterfront. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  25. ↑ "2009 - 11-03-09 - Mayor Ward & Precinct Results.xls" (PDF). City of Boston. 2009. Retrieved September 12, 2025.

Further reading

Candidates' websites