Politics – Everett Leader Herald

Primary candidates ready to go

High level of excitement for local pols

By JOSH RESNEK

A total of 43 candidates for public office are now certified by the Election Department and are ready to go.

With a major mayoral race between Gerly Adrien, Fred Capone and the mayor, the primary on September 21 will prove to be exciting, and in large part, with an outcome right now in question and unknown.

Early intensity has marked many races, and especially the mayor’s race.

The mayor has not been challenged with two candidates in a primary in 14 years of political life as mayor.

Former Councilor Robert Van Campen was the last to challenge the mayor some years back.

Van Campen ran a tepid campaign.

The mayor beat him convincingly.

Adrien and Capone present a different scenario for the mayor this time around.

All three candidates have been campaigning hard throughout June and July.

Political signs should be banned

Political signs stand tall on Everett homefronts. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

Many communities who regard political signage with disdain have banned outdoor political signage.

Everett ought to seriously think about doing the same.

The city is coming to take on the look and feel of a political sign receptacle.

The mayor’s over-the-top outdoor signage is typical of his arrogant and outlandish behavior. He’d like to see a DeMaria sign on every home and apartment house in the city.

Capone and Adrien have intensified their outdoor signage efforts, so they don’t appear outdistanced by the mayor.

The sign wars are a waste of time and energy.

Primary Day ballot takes shape

JULY 10: Mayoral candidate Fred Capone makes a stop at a house that supports Ross Pietrantonio’s Ward 6 city council bid. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

Deadline for signature certification closing in

By JOSH RESNEK

In the first wave, candidates tossed their hats into the ring. In the second wave, some have made final decisions to withdraw or to change their venue.

The councilor at-large race now has 11 candidates, nine of whom have been certified. Only Guerline Alcy and James Mastrocola have yet to submit their signatures. Incumbent Samantha Lambert, candidate Robert Santacroce, and Jenny Montresor have yet to have their signatures certified.

Catherine Hicks has stepped away from the at-large contest. She has withdrawn from this race, choosing to be on the ballot for School Committee Ward 6.

Councilor Wayne Matewsky, president of the city council, is one of the two candidates getting a free ride this time around.

No one has chosen to run against the longtime councilor, and one of the most popular political figures in the city.

Councilor Stephanie Martins is the other.

Longtime former councilor Jason Marcus has withdrawn from the Ward 2 race.

He is running for the school committee in Ward 2.

Aggressive challengers vie for votes, seek to unseat mayor

JULY 7: The mayoral campaign races along at a fever pitch as the candidates scour the city for every vote they can muster. Low voter turnout predictions in an off year election make every vote count. (Photo by Jim Mahoney)

By JOSH RESNEK

The mayor, Gerly Adrien and Fred Capone have been crunching voter numbers for several months.

The numbers don’t lie – that is – the number of voters expected to come out on Primary Day is about 5,000 “give or take several hundred,” according to City Clerk Sergio Cornelio.

Cornelio told the Leader Herald the history of mayoral primaries back to the beginning of the decade reveals low voter turnout for primaries and larger voter turnouts for November elections.

When there is no presidential election or gubernatorial race to drive voters to the polls, “election numbers are naturally lower,” Cornelio said.

‘This year represents a different kind of election coming up. Making predictions about it is all about uncertainty,” he added.

Predictably, the mayor believes he is way ahead. He believes he cannot be beaten.

Why not.

Who’s running

MAYOR
Gerly Adrien
Fred Capone
Carlo DeMaria

COUNCIL AT LARGE
Angelmarie DiNunzio
Michael K. Marchese
Ricahrd J. Dell Isola Jr.
James A. Mastrocola
Stephanie Victoria Smith
James J. LaVecchio
Allen L. Panarese
Kenneth Gianelli
John HanlonIrene
Cardillo Guerline Alcy

COUNCIL WARD 1
Wayne A. Matewsky

COUNCIL WARD 2
Stephanie Martins