The Everett City Council voted unanimously Monday night to set a preliminary election for Tuesday, September 15 in Everett from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. All polling locations will be set up and ready to go, as voters will vote for their preference in the race for the Ward 2 City Council seat, currently occupied by Stephen Simonelli.
Simonelli will be facing a stiff challenge from former Common Councilor Jason Marcus, as well as three other candidates, Shawn Coyle, Haley LaMonica and Dennis DiBiase.
None of the other incumbent candidates is facing a race in the preliminary election, because each has only one challenger facing them in the November general election.
Council also authorizes more time to study Election Commissioners
In another piece of unrelated election news City Councilor John Hanlon, a former City Clerk himself, told the Council of his plans to recommend that the positions of Election Commissioners be created to assist the City Clerk and his staff with annual preparations and operation of elections in the city.
Noting the changes in state election laws and procedures, the amount of time that elections take to manage and the huge staffs of temporary election/poll workers that need to be hired trained and scheduled for elections. Hanlon said he believes that the city should consider establishing three to five such positions to help with elections in the future.
The Council voted to refer the matter to the Committee on Legislative Affairs and Hanlon offered to assist City Clerk Michael Matarazzo with researching the proposal and preparing it for Council review.