Leader Herald Staff Report
With the July 19th final day for signature submissions to the election commission at city hall looming, the local political tarmac has not substantially changed on either the at-large race, or the city council ward races.
So far, only seven candidates have been certified for their names to appear on the ballot in the councillor- at-large category.
The councillor-at-large candidates are led by perennial ticket topper Councillor-at-large Wayne Matewsky. Councillor-at-large Michael Marchese, another top contender has been certified, as has former Mayor and Present Councillor-at-large John F. Hanlon and Council President Richard Dellisola, Jr. and Catherine Tomassi-Hicks.
The eight other candidates for an at-large seat whose signatures have not yet been certified are: Councillor-at-large Peter A. Napolitano, Councillor Stephen Simonelli, Gerly Adrien, Joseph LaMonica, David Lindsey, Jr., James Lavecchio, Leo Barrett, Renee Solano.
In other council ward races, Ward 1 councillor Attorney Fred Capone is running unopposed. Ward 3 councillor Anthony DiPierro is also running unopposed but has not yet certified his signatures.
In the keynote Ward 6 council contest, incumbent Michael McLaughlin is facing local businessman Alfred J. Lattanzi. Both candidates have sworn publicly to run vigorous campaigns. Their signatures are both certified and their campaigns are well underway.
Perhaps the most interesting of the campaigns coming up is the Ward 2 council contest featuring Stephanie Martins, Harvard graduate, local activist, political organizer who is facing former councillor Jason Marcus in a contest which pits the new versus the old, and women versus men. Both Martins and Marcus are right now waging extensive campaigns throughout the city.
In Ward 4, councillor John McKinnon is facing Jimmy Tri Le. McKiinnon’s signatures have not been certified. Le’s have.
In the Ward council 5 race, long-time councillor and the only woman on the council for many years, Rosa DiFlorio, is facing two newcomers: Vivian Thuc Nguyen and Joseph Pierotti, Jr. DeFlorio’s signatures have been certified.