Walter J. Dempsey Scores Resounding Comeback Victory in Special Selectman Election While Overseas-October 6, 1976

Veteran politician Walter J. Dempsey, a 24-year veteran of town government, swept to a decisive victory in a special Board of Selectmen election last night, dominating all nine voting districts and defeating 10 rival candidates amidst a surprisingly heavy voter turnout.

Heavy Voter Turnout Surprises Officials

A total of 5,769 voters cast ballots, representing 34 percent of Norwood’s 16,845 registered voters. The turnout outpaced January’s general election by roughly 1,400 votes and caught political observers and municipal officials entirely off guard. Town Clerk Bartley W. Connolly had publicly predicted a modest turnout of only 3,000 to 3,500 voters.

Running on his extensive record and political reputation, the 61-year-old insurance agent captured 2,288 votes—securing 39.7 percent of all ballots cast and finishing 1,146 votes ahead of political newcomer Paul R. Angelo, who placed second with 1,142 votes. Planning Board Chairman Thomas A. Riolo finished a close third with 1,097 votes after a tight race for the runner-up spot.

The special election was necessitated by the August 6 death of longtime Selectman Charles Lothrop Rich, whose term extended to 1979. Dempsey’s victory total actually exceeded the vote count Rich received in his last successful election in January.

A Colorful Comeback

Dempsey, a former FBI agent with degrees from Bentley School of Accounting and Finance, Benjamin Franklin University School of Accountancy, Boston University School of Law, and Boston College, operated his own insurance agency on Washington Street for 29 years.

He first joined the Board of Selectmen in 1947. Though he served 24 non-consecutive years, he was unseated in 1974 by incumbent selectmen Joseph F. Curran and William F. Butters, and an attempted comeback in 1975 fell short.

Throughout the campaign, Dempsey championed ideas “whose time has come,” including developing the banks of the Neponset River for public recreation and converting the Norwood Arena land into an industrial park. He also revived proposals he originally championed as far back as 1949, such as moving municipal election dates from January to the spring to boost voter participation—a change recently approved by town meeting voters and awaiting state legislative action.

Despite spending only $900 on his campaign—accepting no outside financial donations—Dempsey’s grassroots strength easily overwhelmed opponents. Conceding defeat, Paul Angelo praised the victor as “a real classy guy,” Tom Riolo remarked that “we can’t go wrong with Mr. Dempsey,” and fourth-place finisher Allan Howard (467 votes) stated simply, “The best man won — there’s no question about it.”

Other candidates finished as follows: John J. O’Day Jr. (334), James A. Barss Jr. (185), Joseph S. Stonis (87), Maria A. Gil (62), Richard E. Fenton (39), Paul Poznick (20), and Derek V. MacKinnon (9).

Learning of Victory 3,000 Miles Away in London

True to his independent style, Dempsey was the last person in Norwood to learn he had won. He had departed for London earlier in the evening on a long-planned Boston University alumni tour and was airborne over the Atlantic as the election returns rolled in.

At approximately 3:20 a.m. EST, Selectman-elect Dempsey received the news via an airport telephone call from Heathrow Airport to Finance Commissioner George T. Mahoney. Dempsey described the London weather as clear and bright, marveling at the “silver early morning light” over the Bristol Channel and Windsor Castle from the descending jet. He planned to continue his trip to Aberdeen, Scotland, before returning home on October 13.

Meanwhile, back in Norwood, his wife, Eleanor Dempsey, learned of her husband’s success in quintessential local fashion: a Norwood police officer tapped her on the shoulder while she was playing bingo at Temple Shaare Tefilah, whispering, “I think Walter made it okay.” Confirmed shortly after upon returning home to Prospect Street, Mrs. Dempsey took the news in stride. “It’s what he likes and what he wants to do — what he’s always wanted to do — to work for the town of Norwood,” she smiled. (She did not, however, win at bingo.)

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger