Michelle Wu, candidate for Mayor of Boston, speaks to reporters after casting her ballot in her bid to become the first woman and first person of color to hold the office, in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., November 2, 2021. Photo by Brian Snyder/REUTERS

Boston elects Michelle Wu, first woman and Asian American, as mayor

Politics

BOSTON — Boston voters for the first time elected a woman and an Asian American as mayor, tapping City Councilor Michelle Wu to serve in the city's top political office.

Throughout its long history, Boston had previously only elected white men as mayor.

READ MORE: Mayoral races could be huge milestones for Asian Americans

Wu defeated fellow Boston City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George on Tuesday. The two Democrats faced off against each other after defeating several other mayoral hopefuls in a September preliminary election.

The election of Wu, whose parents immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan, marks another break from tradition in Boston. Wu grew up in Chicago, only moving to Boston to attend Harvard University and Harvard Law School. Boston typically elects mayors with lifelong Boston roots.

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Boston elects Michelle Wu, first woman and Asian American, as mayor first appeared on the PBS News website.

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