Live blog: Updates on the mayoral election in Boston

Over 105,000 ballots cast in Boston as of 6 p.m. (7:30 p.m.)

Two hours before polls closed in Boston, 105,629 ballots had been cast as of 6 p.m., city election officials said.

That number equates to about 23.9 percent voter turnout.

Officials also reminded voters that while unofficial election results will be posted after 8 p.m., initial results will not include ballots being centrally tabulated at City Hall nor ballots that arrived on time but were too late to be counted at polling locations.

“Because poll workers need time to tally election results and transport materials from polling places to City Hall, counting of ballots submitted on time to the Election Department, but too late to be sent to the polls, may not begin until after 10:00 p.m.,” officials said in a statement on Monday. “These ballots will be tallied by precinct and results will be updated on the city’s website periodically, as precincts are completed.”

Annissa Essaibi George says she got a good luck text from Marty Walsh (6:14 p.m.)

Labor secretary and former Boston mayor Marty Walsh has stayed out of the race to become the next person elected to hold City Hall office. However, he apparently quietly wished at least one candidate good luck.

Annissa Essaibi George told reporters Tuesday afternoon that she received a good luck text from Walsh on Monday. Essaibi George’s comments came during a campaign stop to accompany her mother and the former mayor’s mother, Mary Walsh, to vote in Dorchester.

A spokeswoman for Michelle Wu said Tuesday that she was unaware if the candidate got a similar good luck text.

Wu was one of Walsh’s most frequent critics on the City Council and launched her campaign last fall while the then-mayor was still planning to run for a third term. Meanwhile, Essaibi George, a fellow Dorchester native and ideological ally of Walsh, has said she would not have run if Walsh had sought reelection.

Walsh’s office has cited laws that limit federal employees from engaging in political activity. And during a visit Monday to Rhode Island, he again refused to reveal who he was voting for.

“I’m looking forward to supporting whoever wins,” Walsh said, according to the Boston Business Journal. “Whoever wins will be my mayor.”

However, his mother has been less secretive. According to WCVB, she even had an Essaibi George lawn sign ahead of the September preliminary election. Essaibi Geroge also posted a photo with her mother, Barbara, and Mary Walsh from their appearance Tuesday.

“Two ladies I’m lucky to have in my corner!” she wrote.

Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George — almost — crossed paths on Election Day at a famous local pizza place (5:12 p.m.)

It’s something of a tradition for East Boston politicians to host an Election Day lunch at the famed Santarpio’s pizzeria. And on Tuesday, it nearly resulted in the two Boston mayoral candidates running into each other.

In the midst of a packed day of campaigning, Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George nearly ran into each other Tuesday afternoon outside the longtime East Boston restaurant, where they both made brief stops. According to reporters at the scene, Essaibi George waited in a car as Wu, who arrived first, left the restaurant.

The packed luncheon also featured Gov. Charlie Baker, Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards, state Rep. Aaron Michlewitz, state Rep. Adrian Madaro, and a slew of other local politicians.

And in case you were wondering, both candidates did score some acclaimed Santarpios pizza during their visit. Essaibi George had a couple of cheese slices at the restaurant, according to her campaign, while Wu took her pizza to go.

“Pizza, sausage & hot peppers for the road,” she tweeted after leaving the restaurant.

Here’s where Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George are hosting their election night parties (3:17 p.m.)

Voters are still casting ballots in Boston’s historic mayoral race, and on Tuesday night, the candidates Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George will gather with their respective supporters to wait for the results after polls close at 8 p.m. 

Doors will open to Essaibi George’s election night party at 7 p.m. The event is being hosted at the Copley Fairmont Plaza in Back Bay, according to the candidate’s campaign.

Meanwhile, Wu will join her supporters at 8 p.m. at The Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts in the South End, according to the State House News Service.

56,347 votes have been counted in Boston as of noon (1:39 p.m.)

The Boston Elections Department said 56,347 votes have been counted in the city as of noon on Election Day. The number of counted ballots so far indicates 12.75 percent voter turnout, according to the city.

Boston Elections Department says 20,662 votes have been counted in the city as of 9 a.m. (10:42 a.m.)

Unofficial results from the election will be posted after polls close at 8 p.m. But officials said those results will not include ballots that are being tabulated during the day at Boston City Hall or those that arrive by the deadline, but too late to be counted at polling locations around the city.

Vote by mail ballots will be counted until 8 p.m. (10:09 a.m.)

Mail-in ballots can be returned by hand at Boston City Hall or in a ballot drop box located around the city until 8 p.m., the Boston Election Department announced in a tweet.

In-person voting will also remain an option, for those who are able to make it to the polling stations today. Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m.

Find your polling location here.

Michelle Wu cast her ballot in Roslindale, while Annissa Essaibi George voted in Dorchester (9:09 a.m.)

Polls open in Boston for voters to cast ballots in historic mayoral race (8:15 a.m.)

Boston polling locations opened at 7 a.m. on Tuesday in what will be a historic event for the city, seeing the election of the first woman — either Michelle Wu or Annissa Essaibi George — to serve as mayor. 

Despite the historic nature of the race, Massachusetts secretary of state Bill Galvin said Monday he is not expecting blowout turnout for the city. He said he is expecting about 135,000 voters will cast ballots in the city — about a 30 percent overall turnout, which is slightly lower than the 2013 mayoral election.

Galvin said that as of Monday, more than 38,000 people had sent in a mail-in ballot, out of the approximately 53,000 people who requested one. 

Read more of Boston.com’s election coverage:

• 5 questions with Boston mayoral candidate Michelle Wu
• Michelle Wu: The Boston.com interview
• 5 questions with Boston mayoral candidate Annissa Essaibi George
• Annissa Essaibi George: The Boston.com interview
• 3 takeaways from the final Boston mayoral debate between Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George
• 3 stand out moments in Boston’s fiery second mayoral debate between Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George
• 3 key clashes from the first Boston mayoral debate between Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George
• 4 key policy differences that could drive the race between Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George
• Here are the neighborhoods where each of Boston’s mayoral candidates performed best
• Here’s who won ballot slots for November’s 2021 Boston City Council election
• Not just the mayor: What to know about the historic ballot question Boston is voting on this fall

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