The unofficial presidential primary results from Super Tuesday’s election are out in Gloucester, Rockport, Essex and Manchester-by-the-Sea.
While Biden, 81, topped the Democratic ticket in the four communities, Trump, 77, took Gloucester and Essex and Haley, 52, was the choice of Rockport and Manchester-by-the-Sea voters in the GOP race.
In Gloucester, voters went to the polls in each of the five wards.
In the Democratic contest, President Joe Biden collected 3,220 votes, while 243 votes were cast for “no preference,” 121 for challenger U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, 114 for Marianne Williamson, and 63 for write-ins.
Author Williamson had left and re-entered the race, while Phillips, a Minnesota lawmaker, dropped out Wednesday.
On the Republican side, former President Donald Trump topped his main rival, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, in Gloucester 1,825 to 1,310.
Haley exited the race Wednesday, leaving Trump the last major Republican in the race.
The category “no preference” received 35 votes. Chris Christie won 27 votes, Ron DeSantis picked up 18 votes, the write-in category earned seven votes, Ryan Binkley won five votes, Vivek Ramaswamy picked up three votes, and Asa Hutchinson earned 0 votes. All had dropped out of the race before Super Tuesday.
Gloucester registered voters cast 3,230 ballots, with 12 blanks recorded.
Rockport backs Haley
At the close of polls, Rockport voters favored Democratic frontrunner Biden. In the Republican primary, former President Donald Trump lost to challenger Nikki Haley.
Biden earned 1,343 votes, Williamson 31 and Phillips picked up 34 votes.
There were 59 votes cast for “no preference.”
On the Republican side, Haley defeated Trump, 521-485. Christie won 17 votes, Binkley and Ramaswamy each earned one vote, Hutchinson received three, and DeSantis won seven votes. Ten votes were cast for “no preference.”
Rockport Town Clerk Melanie Waddell praised her election volunteers and the long hours they devoted to the effort.
She said the election was executed like clockwork.
“Everything was great,” she said Wednesday. “I have solid team. All of our counts came out exact.”
Waddell said she and Assistant Town Clerk Kourtney Buchanan utilized a number of “best practices” to support the election’s operation.
“There’s so much that goes into it,” Waddell said. “We’ve been working on this for six or seven weeks. In Rockport, it’s a real group effort.”
Trump takes Essex
In the Republican primary election for president in Essex, the former president won 247 votes, besting Haley by two votes.
Christie picked up five votes, Binkley and Ramaswamy each won one vote, DeSantis earned eight votes and Hutchinson earned no votes.
In the Democratic contest, Biden defeated his challengers, earning 327 votes versus 14 for Phillips and seven for Williamson.
Manchester favors Haley
Over in Manchester-by-the-Sea, in the Republican primary election for president, Haley defeated 402-287.
Christie won six votes, Ramaswamy earned one vote, Binkley and Hutchinson received no votes, and DeSantis won eight votes.
In the Democratic primary, Biden topped his opponents, winning 655 votes. Phillips earned 15 votes and Williamson picked up 16 votes.
Stephen Hagan may be contacted at 978-675-2708, or shagan@gloucestertimes.com.