One of the most competitive Boston City Council races is between Mike Kelley, a former aide to Mayor Tom Menino, and Ed Flynn, the son of another former mayor.
The elder Flynn was out in front of the South Boston branch of the Boston Public Library to work the polling station for his son. Mayor Ray Flynn knows the city of Boston, and this South Boston and South End-based district, are much different from when he presided over the city from 1984 to 1993.
"You know, people are concerned about traffic and parking, overdevelopment. You know, parking was not an issue I had to deal with neither was drug addiction an issue that I had to deal with but those are the issues now," Flynn said of the district's concerns.
Flynn is also concerned over the dismal turnout displayed throughout most of election day and into the evening. Without voter engagement at the polls, Flynn said, special interests can move in and have unbalanced power over politicians.
"I just hope we start getting around to people taking a lot more pride in their community and get out there and vote," Flynn said.
As of 6 p.m., turnout it Boston was a little over 22 percent.
The former mayor, who won reelection himself twice before resigning to become U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican, said it's good for the city and for Mayor Marty Walsh's own performance to have a challenger like City Councilor Tito Jackson after his first term.
"I give him credit for running and taking a chance and having confidence that he can do a good job for the city," Flynn said of Jackson.