Updated: Dartmouth voters favor Harris by thin margin

The unofficial results are in and Dartmouth voters went for Democrat Kamala Harris on Tuesday, Nov. 5 by a narrow margin of 31 votes over Republican opponent former President Donald Trump, with a voter turnout of 71.9%, or 18,159.

Nearly half of the town’s electorate — 49.4% or 8,858 voters — chose the vice president, compared to the 49.2%, or 8,827 people, who cast in favor of former Trump.

In 2020, 54% of Dartmouth voters chose President Joe Biden and 43% supported Trump.

This year, 337 people voted for third-party candidates, which is on par with the 2020 election.

For the Libertarian party, 91 voters chose candidates Oliver and Ter Maat, while 19 voters chose De La Cruz and Garcia for the Socialism and Liberation party. Additionally, 55 voters chose Stein and Cabellero-Roco from the Green-Rainbow Party and 79 voters chose Independents Ayyadurai and Ellis. The remaining 93 votes were write-ins. 

By Wednesday morning, Nov. 6, the Associated Press called the race, naming Trump as the next U.S. president.

Compared to the other three elections this year, early voting has seen “significantly more” participation, with approximately 250 to 300 people coming in a day, according to Town Clerk Sarah Haskell-Arruda.

“I think we've had a really great year,” she said, highlighting the “fantastic turnout.”

The town mailed out approximately 8,900 ballots, Haskell-Arruda said, with little over 6,000 received by Monday, Oct. 28 between early and mail-in voting.

“People have been really great,” she said. “They've been patient. They've been following all of the rules and regulations surrounding the election.”

Haskell-Arruda added she knows some people have concerns about voting, but “we haven’t seen anything of concern here in Dartmouth.”

She said that’s a testament to the kind of residents the town has.

Other Dartmouth winners on Tuesday included Republican challenger John Deaton who beat incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren with 9,034, or 49.7% of votes to Warren’s 8,548, or 47.5% of votes.

Meanwhile incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. Bill Keating won Dartmouth with 9,199 or 50.1% of votes against Republican challenger Dan Sullivan, who received 7,894, or 43.5% of votes.

As for the five measures proposed on the ballot, Dartmouth voters favored ending the MCAS graduation requirement and allowing the state auditor to audit the State Legislature. Voters were against giving transportation-network drivers the chance to unionize, legalizing limited psychedelic substances and raising the minimum wage for tipped workers. 

For more on the ballot questions, read this story.

At the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 5, Dartmouth residents reflected on this year’s election.

“This campaign has made us feel like almost shrinking to the shadows, and it’s made me uncomfortable for my children,” said one voter from precinct nine who asked to remain anonymous.

The voter, who became a U.S. citizen over 20 years ago, said the two issues that mattered most to them were a woman’s right to choose and “the right of our people, regardless of where you come from … of being included and heard and not feeling less than.”

Heading into the North Branch Library, Kayleigh Hull, of precinct one and a first time voter who goes to UMass Dartmouth, said, “I think it’s really interesting all the distress that this is causing.”

Hull highlighted how her school will be holding counseling for “election distress” following the election. 

Personally, she said she felt nervous about the election “because one of the candidates doesn’t really want to protect my rights as a woman.”

Joining Hull was Bill, who chose not to share his last name, and said he was “cautiously optimistic” about the election.

“I’m a veteran,” Bill said. “I don’t like being called a sucker and a loser. I don’t like just this whole thing about treating people terribly and talking about them terribly.”

He said he’s voted both Democrat and Republican in the past, but said, “At this point, I don’t see any reason to vote Republican,” adding he’d like to see more people run in the future, “especially people who have different ideas, but do so with integrity.”

Daniel Amaral, of precinct six, said he cared most about the economy and immigration this election and felt the country needs to “kind of go back in a different direction.”

Rosanna Carreiro, of precinct one, said she was “a little nervous,” believing the election’s going to be a close one and said she would be anxiously awaiting the results.

Several voters on Tuesday said it’s “our duty to vote,” including Donna Sylvia, of precinct six, who said she has been voting “forever.”

“Voting is a privilege,” she said. “Everybody should be doing it.”

“How can you complain about or accept the situation if you’re not voting?” Slyvia said.