Black-Ticket Voting?

We now have at least four black candidates for at-large seats on the Boston City Council: Ego Ezedi, Robert Fortes, Jean-Claude Sanon, and Scotland Willis. I expect at least one, and likely two more still to come.

Even if one or two change their minds, or fail to get enough signatures to qualify, it will probably be possible to vote an all-black ticket, at least in the preliminary election. (Voters may choose up to four candidates.)

I don't know if many black Bostonians will do that. But they could. And if they do, in significant numbers, that could have a major effect on the other candidates.

Felix G. Arroyo, for instance, is hoping to do well among Boston's minority voters -- and he still might end up getting plenty of votes from African-Americans. But that might have been much easier to do with three or fewer black candidates on the ballot.