NEWS: Low Turnout Produces Key Match-Ups in Primary Election

A relatively low turnout of 14 percent of registered voters set up key match-ups for political offices in the November General Election. Town Clerk Michael Bouchard reported that out of 7,640 registered voters in town, only 1,083 went to the polls on Tuesday.

Of those who went to the polls, most voters took Democratic ballots as there were competitive races for the Governor's position and for Attorney General. Many positions on the Democratic and Republican ballots were unopposed. Groton voters followed statewide trends in all major races with the exception of the Democratic Governor's race where Donald Berwick had a respectable showing in comparison to statewide trends.

In Groton, the Democratic Governor's race was nearly evenly split among the three candidates. Berwick received 29 percent of the Groton vote, Martha Coakley received 38 percent and Steve Grossman received 32 percent of the vote. Statewide, Berwick received 21 percent of the vote, Coakley 42 percent and Grossman 37 percent of the vote. In Groton, Berwick placed second in voting in Precinct One which includes West Groton and part of Groton Center.

By winning the Democratic Primary, Coakley will face Charlie Baker for Governor of Massachusetts in the November General Election. Baker easily won the Republican vote and will be that party's nominee.

The Democratic race for Attorney General also generated interest and Groton Democratic voters also followed statewide trends here. In that race Maura Healy won over Warren Tolman by a comfortable margin. In Groton Healy won all three precincts with 535 votes to 187 received by Tolman. In the November General Election, Healy will face Republican John Miller, who was unopposed on the Republican ballot.

Another key match-up will be the race for Congressman from the Third District. Candidates for this office were unopposed on both the Democratic ballot and the Republican ballot. In this race incumbent Democrat Nikki Tsongas will face Republican candidate Roseann Wofford to represent Groton in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Locally, incumbent Republican Sheila Harrington was unopposed on the Republican ballot to win the Republican nomination for State Representative from the First Middlesex District. She will face Democratic candidate Gene Rauhala in the November General Election. Rauhala was unopposed on the Democratic ballot.