A little more than 20 percent of the city's registered voters showed up at the polls to vote in the municipal election, which featured races for both City Council and School Committee.
City Clerk Russ Malone said yesterday that that 7,146 of the city's 35,316 registered voters cast ballots on Tuesday.
The number of voters was lower than in 2005 - the last city election that did not feature a mayor's race - when about 23 percent of the city's voters hit election booths.
In the city's election in 2007, which included the race for mayor, 28 percent of registered voters cast ballots.
Malone said Tuesday's election went smoothly, with workers able to overcome some minor glitches, such as jammed machines.
"The election went great," Malone said. "The good part was we had little fires along the way and we were able to put them out quickly."
Malone said precinct shifts this year at Fitzgerald Elementary, Plympton and Whittemore Elementary schools also went off without a hitch.
Incumbent city councilors at large Paul Brasco, Sally Collura, David Marcou and Kathleen McMenimen and Thomas Stanley all won re-election, with Stanley receiving the most votes - 4,166.
Diane LeBlanc, a first time candidate, also won an at large seat and received the third highest number of votes.
Finishing outside the top six were former councilor Ken Doucette, Joe Vizard, Howard Rock, Eugene O'Brien and Doris Donovan, in that order.
Councilor at large Patrick O'Brien did not run for re-election.
In Ward 1 Daniel Romard defeated Gloria Champion to win that seat. Current Ward 1 Councilor Robert Kelly did not run for re-election.
Ward 7 Councilor Joe Giordano, Ward 8 Councilor Stephen Rourke and Ward 9 Councilor Robert Logan also handily retained their seats in contested races.
Ward 2 Councilor Ed Tarallo, Ward 3 Councilor George A. Darcy III, Ward 4 Councilor Thomas Curtin, Ward 5 Councilor Gary Marchese and Ward 6 Robert Waddick all ran unopposed in their re-election bids.
In the race for School Committee, incumbent Robert Cincotta retained his seat, while Susan Burstein and Lisa Limonciello also won seats on the board.
Candidates who visited several precincts Tuesday said the turnout appeared to be average.
"Everywhere I went it appeared to be somewhat steady but nothing like a presidential election where there appears to be a steady stream of people," said Collura.
Donovan said "in my old ward," Ward 7, one of the precincts in appeared to be "pretty busy all day."
"At least the turnout was much better than the preliminary (election)," Donovan said.
About 13 percent of registered voters showed up for September's preliminary election, which pared down candidates in the at large council race and in Ward 1.
Even though she received the fewest votes among at large candidates on Tuesday, Donovan said she enjoyed the experience.
"I found the whole thing very exciting and gratifying and I was pleased to get what I did," Donovan said.
Richard Conn can be contacted at 781-398-8004 or rconn@cnc.com.
