Nomination papers are taken by 18 candidates, marking campaign season starting in earnest
Vice mayor Alanna Mallon released this image of her stopping by Election Commission offices on Thursday, picking up nomination papers for a reelection run.
On the first day nomination papers became available for the Nov. 2 municipal elections, 14 candidates for city councillor stopped by the Election Commission for a set, as did four candidates for the School Committee.
The council sign-out sheet Thursday suggested a pretty strong answer as to the plans of E. Denise Simmons, a holdout in announcing her plans – the first signature on the sheet was hers.
With Tim Toomey, the longest-serving councillor, having decided against a run for one of nine council seats for the first time since 1989, Simmons could become the senior member in January. She was first elected to the council in 2001.
Six more incumbent councillors also stopped by to pick up papers. In order of arrival they were Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler and Patty Nolan, seeking second terms; Quinton Zondervan and Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui, seeking third terms; Marc McGovern, seeking a fifth term; and vice mayor Alanna Mallon, seeking a third term.
Challengers who picked up papers included, in the order of arrival: Joe McGuirk, Frantz Pierre, Nicola Williams, Robert Eckstut, Paul Toner, Dana Bullister and Roy Ribitzky.
First-time City Council challenger Frantz Pierre, right, has already been on the campaign trail, handing out flyers in Central Square on June 23 for meet-and-greet sessions. (Photo: Frantz Pierre campaign via Instagram)
On the School Committee side, all four people picking up nomination papers were incumbents: Ayesha Williams, David Weinstein and José Luis Rojas Villarreal, all seeking second terms, and Fred Fantini, who was first elected in 1981. Reelection would mean a 19th term, as Fantini was out of office in 1998-1999.
The 2019 election saw 23 people run for council (including eight of nine incumbents), dropping to 22 by the time of balloting, and 11 for School Committee (including three of six incumbents).
Nomination papers are due back by 5 p.m. Aug. 2. Fifty confirmed signatures qualifies a resident to run.
…lots of lyin’ in local politics…why? because of so little fact checking.
there’s much at stake in this year’s rodeo, so i’d suggest not signing any petition of one you’d not vote for. try three questions:
1) what is the job and why you other than a more qualified candidate;
2) get a precise answer to what the office does;
3) if elected, how long do you intend to serve in the position and why?
you might explore what they’ve been reading…if anything.
candidates (and voters)-
how about attending public, commission, board and public council meetings to get an idea how they work, procedure, points of view and issues.
This is the best way to understand details. One can easily get caught up in ideology and buzz words co-opted by proponents and activists. These words are broad enough that everyone agrees with them- and they belong to everyone- equality, housing, anti-racism, equity, inclusion-. The question is HOW a new petition will be implemented and who really benefits. You cannot legislate emotion, but procedure and detail. Do housing policy orders actually address affordable housing and not depend on developer-driven market-rate units? Does one demographic group have priority over another and do everyone’s rights matter- even those who have owned their homes for generations? Do we tear down history to build new construction dictated by developers erasing and disrespecting tradition and culture?
It is up to you to be responsible and do the homework. And not get sucked into a manipulated narrative supported by out-of-town money or pacs. The population of Cambridge is 119,000. eligible voters is 52,706. family households are 17,420. There are 6.8% single family housing (fairly negligible), 41.8% in six to 50 unit buildings. and the ever – growing labor force is 145,000 with 2000 more coming in from google. How can everyone possibly live in Cambridge that wants to?? We have to find a pathway without throwing the baby out with the bath water.