Trump wins vote in four Franklin County, North Quabbin towns

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at an election night watch party at the Palm Beach Convention Center, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla. AP PHOTO/EVAN VUCCI

By CHRIS LARABEE

Staff Writer

Published: 11-06-2024 2:14 PM

Modified: 11-06-2024 4:08 PM

ROYALSTON — In a nation so bitterly divided over its politics, there’s perhaps no town more evenly divided than Royalston, in which election results Tuesday evening showed President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris in a dead tie, 390-390.

While there were no surprises in deep-blue Massachusetts in the 2024 presidential election, four Franklin County and North Quabbin towns broke for Trump in his quest for a second term in the White House. Voters in Athol chose Trump, 2,935-2,574; Monroe opted for him, 39-24; Phillipston went for Trump, 697-438; and Orange results came in at 1,932-1,846 in favor of the former president.

The results in the communities of Athol and Orange, at least, represent an electoral boomerang that has brought the towns back to where they were in 2016. In that election, Athol and Orange broke for Trump, 2,335-2,076 and 1,550-1,487, respectively. In 2020, the script was flipped as President Biden emerged victorious, 2,705-2,579 in Athol and 1,984-1,699 in Orange.

Royalston opted for Trump in 2016, 321-314, and Biden in 2020, 408-357. Trump came up just one vote short from carrying the town on Tuesday.

Finally, both Monroe and Phillipston have been the picture of consistency in the last eight years. In Franklin County’s smallest town, Trump won in 2016, 26-25, and then again in 2020, 31-28, while Phillipston stuck with him, 550-374, and 607-465, in 2016 and 2020.

While Royalston was tied in its presidential choice, it did vote for Republican John Deaton, who ultimately lost the statewide tally to incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Royalston’s numbers in that race sat at 433-358 in favor of Deaton, who also carried the communities of Athol, Monroe, Orange, Phillipston and Royalston.

Results in the 2nd Congressional District, which featured longtime incumbent Jim McGovern versus Independent Cornelius Shea, pretty much mirrored the rest of Franklin County, though, as each community other than Phillipston and Royalston stuck with the Democratic congressman from Worcester.

For full election results, including how municipalities voted on the five ballot questions, in Franklin County and the North Quabbin, visit recorder.com.

Article continues after...