Local

Forecast: Open mayoral race not a draw for most Boston voters

BOSTON — The state’s top elections official expects that the total number of votes cast in Boston’s election on Tuesday will slightly lag the 2013 contest, the last time the city had an open mayoral race.

Secretary of State William Galvin said Monday that he projects 135,000 Bostonians will cast ballots in the general election, which would represent a turnout rate of roughly 30 percent from the total number of registered voters the secretary cited.

In 2013, when former Mayor Martin Walsh topped John Connolly in an incumbent-free race, slightly more than 142,000 votes were cast, according to Galvin.

“We’ve had a dramatic increase in the number of voters in Boston, particularly attributable, I believe, to last year’s presidential election -- we carry over 440,000 people on the rolls,” Galvin told reporters. “My opinion as much as it was in the preliminary election: that it will not be a record turnout.”

Mayoral candidates Annissa Essaibi George and Michelle Wu are working Monday to turn out their supporters.

Boston and 60 other cities and towns have elections on Tuesday.

Voters in Hamilton, Ipswich, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Rowley, Topsfield, and Wenham will also weigh in on a special primary election for the 4th Essex House seat, which former Republican Rep. Brad Hill vacated when he resigned to take a position on the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

More than 100,000 voters statewide requested a mail-in ballot, Galvin said, with return rates varying significantly by municipality.

In Boston, more than 38,000 voters have submitted a mail-in ballot from the roughly 53,000 who requested one, Galvin said, describing himself as “encouraged” by that rate of return.