Elections

At-Large City Council Election: Flaherty, Mejia, Louijeune Go 1-2-3; Murphy Takes 4th

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The two incumbents in the At-Large Boston City Council election, Michael Flaherty and Julia Mejia, easily took first and second in Tuesday's contest. In 2019, Mejia won her first at-large city council race by a mere one vote! This time it wasn't that close as she finished second with 61,709 votes (17.27%), and Flaherty took first with 62,242 votes (17.42%), according to unofficial results from Boston's Elections Department. DAVID HALBERT
42,516
11.90%

BRIDGET M NEE-WALSH
27,424
7.68%

JULIA MEJIA
61,709
17.27%

CARLA MONTEIRO
39,648
11.10%

RUTHZEE LOUIJEUNE
54,601
15.28%

ALTHEA GARRISON
24,914
6.97%

MICHAEL F FLAHERTY
62,242
17.42%

ERIN J MURPHY
42,841
11.99%

First time candidate Ruthzee Louijeune took third place with 54,601, and will be the first Haitian-American to be on the council. Louijeune grew up in Boston, and attended Boston Public Schools.

5,545 Views
Elections

Q&A: Kendra Hicks Talks Environmental Justice, Housing, Police, and More

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Boston City Council District 6 candidate Kendra Hicks fielded questions from Jamaica Plain News about housing, Boston Public Schools, police, and more. The following interview was conducted electronically. 
Q: You shot out of the gate after announcing your candidacy like very few candidates in recent years. How long have you been preparing to run for District 6? Hicks: I have been a community organizer since I was 15 and, for the past six years, have committed myself to supporting nonprofit organizations in shifting their structures to be more equitable. I had not planned on running for the city council, but the social uprisings in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, including here in D6, made it clear that our residents demanded strong leadership.

2,198 Views
Elections

Q&A: Mary Tamer Talks Police Budget, Charter Schools, Development, and More

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Boston City Council District 6 candidate Mary Tamer fielded questions from Jamaica Plain News about development, whether she supports having an elected school committee, police, and more. The following interview was conducted electronically. 
Q: You chose to run for the Boston City Council District 6 seat after the current councilor announced he would not seek reelection. Why did you decide to run? Tamer: With the number of challenges facing Boston right now, it was the right time for me to serve by bringing my advocacy, public service, and leadership experience to help address those challenges. I’ve spent my professional life advocating for families, children, and those whose voices are often not heard.

2,760 Views
Opinion

Opinion: Yes on 1 for a Better Budget –The Time Is Now

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This year, there will be a question on the November ballot that would change how the city budget is created. It would allow the city council to change budget items by a majority vote, and create an Office of Participatory Budgeting to allow people to vote on certain budget items. More of us would get a say in how we spend our city’s money. Currently, city councilors can only vote yes or no on the entire budget; they have no power to shift funds within the budget. Also, there is currently no process for voters in Boston to have direct input on the budget through participatory budgeting processes, a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend a portion of a public budget. This project exists in many other major cities like our neighbors next door in Cambridge, as well as New York, Seattle, Oakland, and Chicago.

1,860 Views
Elections

Oct. 19: At-Large Candidates Forum Hosted By Lots of Democratic Ward Committees

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Seven different ward Democratic Committees are hosting a virtual Boston City Council At-Large candidates forum on October 19. The forum is being sponsored by Democratic Committees for Wards 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 19, and 20. The forum will be moderated by Jacquetta Van Zandt, Vice President of Engagement at the Partnership. All eight candidates have been invited to participate. The candidates running in this race are current At-Large City Councilor Michael Flaherty and Julia Mejia, and Althea Garrison, David Halbert, Ruthzee Louijeune, Carla Monteiro, Erin Murphy and Bridget Nee-Walsh.

2,236 Views
Elections

City Council At-Large Candidate Forum on May 17 Hosted by JP Progressives

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At least 12 at-large Boston City Council candidates will participate in an online forum hosted by JP Progressives on May 17. JP Progressives is hosting the forum with Mijente, NAACP, Right to the City Vote, and BEJA. The forum will be at 7 pm and on Zoom. Spanish translation and closed captioning will be enabled on Zoom for the forum. You can register here to attend the forum.

3,309 Views
Elections

District 6 City Council Candidates Forum on April 28

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There will be a candidates forum for the Boston City Council District 6 race on April 28. The three declared candidates are all expected to participate: Kendra Hicks, Kelly Ransom, and Mary Tamer. The District 6 seat is open because current councilor Matt O'Malley chose not to run again. JP Progressives, Mijente, and NAACP Boston Branch are hosting a candidate forum for the District 6 City Council race. The forum will be on Wednesday, April 28 at 7 pm.

3,015 Views
Elections

Lifelong Bostonian Kelly Ransom Announces District 6 City Council Candidacy

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There are now three candidates for the Boston City Council District 6 after lifelong resident Kelly Ransom announced her candidacy. Ransom currently works at Madison Park Development Corporation as the director of communications & public affairs. She has worked in the restaurant industry, was a former City Council staffer, and is a supporter of labor unions. She announced her candidacy outside of the shuttered Bella Luna restaurant on Tuesday. Ransom is queer, an advocate and ally for marginalized communities, and previously personally experienced being homeless.

3,405 Views