Campaign volunteers seeking signatures for nominations flooding the city
By JOSH RESNEK
The summer has hit the big time with temperatures in the 90’s Sunday and Monday, with thousands flocking to area beaches or staying inside with air conditioners blasting cold air trying to beat down the heat.
Usually, the arrival of summer slows down political maneuvering.
Not this season.
Political interest is soaring as more and more candidates sign up to run.
Forty-eight candidates have announced their candidacies as of Tuesday afternoon.
Of those candidates, all 48 who have taken out nomination papers are actively collecting signatures.
Mayoral candidate Gerly Adrien, Councilor at Large Mike Marchese, and Ward 4 Councilor Jimmy Tri Le remain the only candidates to have had their signatures certified by the Election Commission.
Adrien’s were certified on May 25.
Political operatives for the mayor and mayoral candidate Fred Capone are now busy picking up signatures.
Five hundred are required to have one’s name placed on the ballot.
Adrien’s total was 623.
There are now 12 candidates for Councilor at large. This remains the city’s most highly contested contest.
Councilor at Large Wayne Matewsky is leaving that position to run for Ward 1 councilor.
He is running unopposed. Only Matewsky and Councilor Anthony DiPierro have no opposition.
That’s saying something in a such hot and highly contested political summer.
The councilor at-large race is chock full of candidates. The field is almost as crowded as McKinnon’s when there’s a great special for weekend barbecues.
Adrien’s cousin, Guerline Alcy, is a longtime city hall employee and Everett resident with deep roots in the Haitian community.
She has just an- nounced her candidacy for an at-large seat. Her name will be officially listed on the next up- date issued by the Election Commission.
The ward races except for Matewsky and DiPierro are all contested.
Ward 4 has three candidates, including Councilor Jimmy Tri Le. He has two opponents, James Mastrocola and Benjamin Murray.
Councilor Rosa DeFlorio is facing an energized Vivian Nguyen, a young and aggressive Vietnamese and longtime Everett resident who ran last time around.
Ward 6 will be exciting.
It features businessman and the mayor’s major money-raiser and confidant, Al Lattanzi.
Lattanzi, who will do whatever the mayor asks, will be facing a candidate who will not do as the mayor asks, Ross N. Pietrantonio.
The school committee presently has races in every ward and 6 candidates running at large.
School Committeeman Thomas Abruzzese looks to have his hands full with former school committeeman Bernie D’Onofrio and Catherine Hicks chasing him right now.
Jean Cristiano, the for- mer 8-year city government member and current Veteran’s agent at city hall, has announced she will be seeking Frank Parker’s seat.
Cristiano said she will run a vigorous campaign, that she is looking forward to getting back to the people.