The list of people seeking political office in Somerville this November has ballooned to 36. Twenty-two new candidates have joined 14 incumbents in the races for mayor, City Council and School Committee seats in Somerville following a June 11 deadline to file nomination papers.
The tally might have been 38, but William “Billy” Tauro and Nicholas R. Miller pulled papers but did not return them. Tauro and Miller had sought election for mayor and Ward 5 councilor, respectively.
The withdrawal by Tauro – who ran for mayor in 2021 and 2023, getting between 14 percent and 18 percent of the vote – winnows down the mayoral race to a three-person contest.
“As a straight, white, conservative man, I’ve come to realize that in a progressive, liberal city like Somerville and beyond, my chances of winning are slim,” Tauro wrote in a June 11 Facebook post announcing his withdrawal. As of Sunday, his campaign website remains hacked with pornography; the hack was reported by Michael Gutierrez at Hump Day News.
That leaves councilors at-large Willie Burnley Jr. and Jake Wilson as the challengers to incumbent Katjana Ballantyne.
In turn, Burnley and Wilson’s mayoral ambitions leave two of four councilor at-large seats open. Current councilors Kristen Strezo and Will Mbah will seek reelection to their roles. They are being challenged by 10 others: Justin Klekota, Jack Perenick, Holly Simione, Scott Istvan, Jon Link, Christopher Ryan Spicer, Tuesday Thomas, Marianne Walles, Ari Iaccarino and Ben Wheeler.
Seats will also be contested in Wards 3, 5 and 7. In Ward 3, Nathaniel Roderick will challenge current councilor Ben Ewen-Campen. In Ward 5, Jason Mackey will run against councilor Naima Sait.
The Ward 7 seat is open following councilor Judy Pineda Neufeld’s announcement that she will step down from the position as of June 30. Michael Murray, Emily Hardt and Wilbert Pineda aim to take her place. All spoke at a Wednesday forum about their goals for the office.
Current Councilors Matthew McLaughlin, Jefferson Thomas Scott, Jesse Clingan and Lance Davis will run unopposed in Wards 1, 2, 4 and 6.
Current School Committee members Emily Ackman, Andre L. Green, Laura Pitone and Leiran Biton will also run unopposed in Wards 1, 4, 5 and 7. Elizabeth Eldridge will challenge incumbent Ilana Krepchin in Ward 2, and newcomer Emma Stellman will run unopposed in Ward 6.
Sarah Phillips, who represents Ward 3 and acts as vice chair of the School Committee, did not submit papers for reelection. Instead, Michele Lippens, Kat Johnston and Jessie Ratey will bid for the open seat.
This post was updated June 22, 2025, to correct that Elizabeth Eldridge will challenge incumbent Ilana Krepchin in Ward 2.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.
“As a straight, white, conservative man, I’ve come to realize that … my chances of winning are slim,”
Yeah but only one of those things is the actual determining factor of that, Billy.
Billy, all you had to do was stand beside that truck… to hint at how you think. .