City Council campaigning, elections starting up

Campaigning is underway for the 2015 Boston City Council race, as councilors seek reelection and District 4 and District 7 required preliminary votes Tuesday.

Josh Zakim, city councilor of District 8, which includes Boston University’s campus, is running unopposed. He has been working over the summer to garner support.

“We’re ready for the Nov. 3 election, and we’ve been knocking doors and calling voters and seeing people across the district,” Zakim said. “It’s obviously an exciting opportunity to connect with folks and see their views and [work] to make Boston and District 8 a better place.”

District 8 encompasses the neighborhoods of Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Fenway, Kenmore Square, Mission Hill, Audobon Circle and the West End.

Zakim launched his reelection campaign in May in Mission Hill, The Daily Free Press reported on May 6, 2015. He was first elected in 2013 with 52.5 percent of the vote over Michael Nichols, the FreeP reported on Nov. 6, 2013.

Some of the issues Zakim said he sees as top priorities include increasing affordable housing, adding a downtown school and addressing environmental issues.

“We’ll be holding a hearing on natural gas leaks in the city later this month with Councilor [Matt] O’Malley of the environmental committee to make sure we are protecting our infrastructure, our residents and our environment,” he said.

Preliminary elections for council seats took place Tuesday for District 4 and District 7, which are currently represented by Charles Yancey and Tito Jackson, respectively. These two districts were the only ones with enough candidates to require a preliminary vote.

Yancey, who was first elected in 1983 and is the longest-serving councilor in office, came in second with 33.87 percent of the vote behind newcomer Andrea Campbell, who received 57.92 percent of the vote, according to the unofficial election results. Jackson received 66.38 percent of the vote, well ahead of challenger Charles Clemons Jr.’s 17.96 percent.

For the previous municipal elections in 2013, there were preliminary elections for City Councilor-at-Large and four districts seats.

John Berg, a professor at Suffolk University, said the timing of the election may have had an impact on voter turnout. Normally the election is later, he said, but it was moved earlier to avoid conflict with the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur.

“I’ve lived in Massachusetts for 50 years, it hasn’t happened in those 50 years, as far as I know,” Berg said. “So even people who are used to voting … like me, for example, I didn’t vote because I wasn’t in town until late last night, you know, [because of] summer activities. And I do live in a district that had a contest.

Approximately 5,500 voters participated in the preliminary election, equating to a seven percent participation rate, according to the unofficial results.

Berg said that interest is likely to increase closer to the November 2015 election.

“It always is,” he said. “Even presidential or gubernatorial elections always have more people who vote … City Council is pretty much, you are more mobilized by a campaign or [you’re] super voters who vote all the time.”

Zakim said he hopes that voters of all demographics will come to the polls.

“Unfortunately, these municipal elections [have] low turnout. That’s why I’ve been spending my summer going door to door, to encourage them,” he said. “One, to remind people that there’s an election in November, and [also] to encourage them to get out and vote. It’s incredibly important.”

When it comes to day-to-day issues in the city, Zakim said it’s important that everyone exercises their right to vote.

“Whether it’s young people, professionals, families, senior citizens,” Zakim said. “We want people to show up to the polls.”

Several residents said they were not aware of the City Council elections, but nonetheless feel they are still important.

“I’m not really following the election. I just don’t really follow City Council elections. I probably should, but I guess there are just other things on my mind,” said Kimmie Baker, 25, of Beacon Hill.

Jennifer Carl, 46, of Fenway, said she has not been following the council race, but she is still interested.

“I honestly couldn’t tell you specifics about all the city councilors,” she said, “but I feel like I should go home and look them up because that’s something I want to be involved in.”

Ann Singh, 47, of South Boston, said she will not vote in the November election.

“City Council elections?” she said. “I usually only vote in bigger elections, but it would be interesting to look at. I’ll look out for who wins once the results come in.”

Olivia Quintana contributed to the reporting of this article.