The biggest news this week for the upcoming Municipal Election is not who has taken an interest by pulling Nomination Papers, but rather who will be on the ballot in the September Preliminary Election, and as of Monday, all three mayoral candidates have been certified for the ballot.
Councilor Gerly Adrien, Councilor Fred Capone and Mayor Carlo DeMaria have all three been certified by the City Clerk and the Election Commission – meaning that the required signatures they have submitted checked out.
Adrien was the first to be certified for the ballot last month, on May 27, then Capone got his certification last week on June 16.
This week, on Monday, Mayor DeMaria had his signatures certified as well.
That formality now assures a mayoral Preliminary Election in September, where all three will battle it out at the polls to see who will go head-to-head in the November Municipal Election. One candidate will be eliminated in the September race.
Not much else new has emerged in the City Council race, except that on Monday James Lavecchio had his signatures certified in the at-large race. He is only the second candidate to be certified, behind incumbent Councilor Mike Marchese.
In the School Committee races, former School Committeeman Bernie D’Onofrio has withdrawn his interest in the Ward 6 School Committee seat, and will in fact focus on the at-large School Committee race.
In Ward 6, that now leaves incumbent Tom Abruzzese to face current Councilor Michael McLaughlin, former Councilor Catherine Tomassi-Hicks and Renee Solano.
In Ward 5, Marcony Almeida Barros had his signatures certified on June 14, putting him officially on the ballot.
In Ward 3, Frank Parker was certified for the ballot, but withdrew his interest last week and said he would not run for re-election to any seat. For Ward 3, that leaves Veterans Agent Jeanne Cristiano and Robert Santacroce in the race.
In a very interesting move for the School Committee, incumbent Ward 2 School Committeeman Joe LaMonica pulled Papers late last week for the at-large School Committee race, having already pulled in Ward 2 as well.
Right now, Ward 2 features candidate Cady Steinberg and Jason Marcus – who has also pulled Papers for the Ward 2 Council seat.