Garipay Withdraws, Hamilton Shifts to Ward Four Race
By Ellen Putnam
Ward Hamilton, left, and Mark Garipay, second from right (with Ward 7 Councilor Devin Romanul and At-Large Councilor Ryan Williams
Photo Credit: Nancy Clover
On Thursday, the upcoming municipal election saw a surprising shakeup when current Ward Four City Councilor Mark Garipay announced that he would not be seeking reelection, and current At-Large City Councilor Ward Hamilton withdrew from the At Large race to run for the Ward Four seat.
This shift means that only three of the races in the municipal election are currently contested: Ward Three, Ward Seven, and School Committee.
However, potential candidates still have two weeks left to obtain nomination papers (“pull papers”), meaning that some of these races could potentially be contested if someone new joins the race before then. The deadline for pulling papers to join a race is September 12th, and the deadline to submit the required number of voter signatures (usually between 25 and 50) for getting onto the ballot is September 16th.
This fall, Melrose voters will be choosing City Councilors for each of the city’s seven wards (each resident votes for their own ward councilor), four City Councilors At Large, and three School Committee members (in addition to voting on three override questions).
(Read more about the City Council races in the city’s other wards here.)
Garipay shared that he decided not to run for reelection in order to spend more time with his family and enjoy his son's final year of high school.
Speaking about his decision to shift from the At Large race to the Ward Four race, Hamilton said, “It has been an honor to serve on the City Council in an at-large capacity, and it was my intention to run for reelection, having pulled and submitted papers nearly four months ago. Councilor Garipay's recent decision to not seek a fourth term has created an opportunity to run for Ward Four and represent the neighborhood where we live. I look forward to the forthcoming campaign and earning our neighbors’ support.”
While it’s not unheard of for a candidate for City Council to shift from a ward race to At Large, shifting in the other direction, as Hamilton has done, is much more unusual.
This week, City Council President Leila Migliorelli also announced that she will not be running for reelection after six years in office.
“This was not an easy decision to make, as serving the City of Melrose over past six years has been an honor and a privilege,” Migliorelli said. “I look forward to staying involved in the community and encourage my constituents to do the same. The city can only be made stronger with engaged residents.”
Following Hamilton’s shift and Migliorelli’s announcement, the City Council At Large race now has four candidates for four positions: two incumbents (Maya Jamaleddine and Ryan Williams) and two new candidates.
Jason Chen, who currently serves on the Public Safety Facilities Advisory Committee, said of his candidacy: “As a veteran, citizen, and parent, I want to continue to serve my neighbors and Melrose community. Even in these divided times, I am optimistic about what we can do in our community. Leadership, character, decency, and humility matter more than ever. I’m running because I want to help keep Melrose on course, both in the short and long term. To that end, I would be honored to represent you as a City Councilor-at-Large. I invite you to join me and be a part of the government that you want.”
The other newcomer, Dionysios Kaskarelis, shared: “With a background in global finance spanning over 15 years, I’m running because I want to build the city’s financial infrastructure and long-term financial resiliency.”
The list of School Committee candidates has also seen some changes over the last few days. Current School Committee member Jennifer Razi-Thomas has declared her candidacy, and a new candidate, Camarie Clark, has joined the race as well, joining current School Committee Chair Dorie Withey, Sheri Leo (who is on the board of The Bridge and Follow Your Art Community Studios), and Melissa Holleran for a total of five candidates for three seats.
Razi-Thomas shared about her campaign for reelection: “Given the present circumstances within our country and in our city, I felt drawn to continue to work on behalf of our students within Melrose Public Schools. If the voters of Melrose choose me again to serve, I pledge to uphold high standards of excellence for our children and staff while advocating for our city to fully fund our schools. I will hold firm to my commitment to democratic values and remain true to my sworn oath. It's an honor to serve.”
Holleran shared: “I am running for School Committee because I see a need to support our school system and city. I believe it is important to play an active role in your community, and as a parent of two children in Melrose Public Schools, I would be honored to play a role in building a stronger Melrose.”
For the most up-to-date list of candidates, visit the City of Melrose Elections Department website.
