Boston mayor Thomas Menino and challenger Maura Hennigan agreed today to cancel the mayoral election, originally scheduled for November 8.
The unprecedented deal -- which hands Menino a fourth term -- comes in the wake of a poll released yesterday that shows Menino with a commanding lead in the race. The poll, conducted by the Boston Globe, found 66 percent of voters intended to vote for Menino, 27 percent for Hennigan, and just 7 percent undecided.
“Add up the numbers and it’s clear I can’t win,” said Hennigan. “If that’s the case, I figured, why bother to hold an election?”
An exultant Menino agreed. “Canceling the election saves the city at least $200,000,” he said. “That’s money that could be put to better use paving our streets, fixing up our schools and erecting more directional signs prominently featuring my name.”
“Canceling the election may even save lives,” added Hennigan, who appeared with Menino at a joint press conference. “Now people won’t need to go to the polls, risking their necks on the uneven pavement, giant potholes and broken walk signals that the administration has failed to fix.”
Both Menino and Hennigan expressed gratitude to the Globe for making the election unnecessary. “I only wish they had done it sooner,” said Hennigan, who recently lent her campaign a half million dollars. “That way I wouldn’t have had to take out a second mortgage on my home.”
Menino said he thought canceling the election might be the start of a new trend. “Ever since I got into office, the idea of having to face the voters every four years has increasingly made less sense,” he said. “And if I shouldn’t have to do it, why should any incumbent?”
Although canceling the election also means that voters will not be turning out to select members for the 13-person City Council, both Menino and Hennigan said they thought that of little consequence. “Both of us were once city councilors,” said Menino, “and even we can’t figure out what they actually do.”
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