GET OUT AND VOTE!: Several contested races drawing extra interest on Election Day Tuesday

Six-candidate Councillor-at-Large race expected to be close finish; School Committee matchups in Ward 4 & Ward 7 expected to be tight

By Steve Freker

Election Day 2025 is just four days away and along with a tightly contested, six-candidate Councillor-at-Large race, there are several ballot skirmishes expected in the Ward races. Malden’s Municipal General Election is set for Tuesday, November 4, and Polling Places in all eight Wards will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Elections are being held for 11 City Councillors — one in each Ward and three Councillors-at-Large — and eight School Committee members, one in each Ward.

Turnout numbers will be difficult to gauge, particularly with the absence of a mayoral race. The Councillor-at-Large race is expected to generate interest and more voters than the usual 18-22 percent expected in most non-mayor’s race years.

There is no mayoral election in the 2025 cycle, as longtime Mayor Gary Christenson was reelected to a record fourth consecutive four-year team in 2023 and still has two full years remaining on his present term. Should he choose to seek reelection to an also unprecedented fifth four-year term, that would be his choice for the 2027 municipal election.

There are six candidates for Councillor-at-Large: three incumbents and three challengers. In the order of listing on the ballot, incumbents Karen Colón Hayes, Carey McDonald and Craig Spadafora are all seeking reelection. Challengers are Mohammad Abu-Taha and Solomon Davidoff, both political newcomers, and Michelle Luong, who is a former School Committee member.

Colón Hayes and McDonald are each seeking a third two-year term, Spadafora was first elected in 2003 and is seeking his 12th consecutive term, as one of the longest serving Councillors-at-Large in Malden history.

There are contested City Councillor races in Ward 1 and Ward 6 in this election. In Ward 1, incumbent Peg Crowe is seeking reelection to an eighth consecutive term and is being challenged by political newcomer Brynn Garrity. In Ward 6, incumbent City Councillor Stephen Winslow seeks his third term for reelection facing off in a rematch from the 2023 election against Jerry Leone, a former Ward 6 School Committee member.

All other City Councillor incumbents are running unopposed and will be reelected Tuesday: Paul Condon (Ward 2), the longest-serving Ward City Councillor in Malden history, City Council President Amanda Linehan (Ward 3) and Councillors Ryan O’Malley (Ward 4), Ari Taylor (Ward 5), Chris Simonelli (Ward 7) and Jadeane Sica (Ward 8).

There are three contested School Committee races: in Ward 1, Ward 4 and Ward 7. Incumbent Ward 4 School Committee member Dawn Macklin, in her second term, won a preliminary election challenge from two challengers. She finished first in a close race and will face off against Abeer A. Annab of Mountain Avenue, who finished second in the preliminary election. Another incumbent School Committee member being challenged on Tuesday is longtime rep Michael Drummey, of Oxford Street in Ward 1. He will face off against political newcomer Kimberly M. Gillette of 7 Tufts St. A third contested School Committee race is in Ward 7, where incumbent Keith Bernard of Almont Street is seeking reelection to a third term. He is being challenged by Nichole Dawn Mossalam of Essex Street.

Peter T. Piazza, of 1 Manley Terrace, is running unopposed for Ward 6 School Committee and will be reelected to replace outgoing three-term member Joseph Gray, the only incumbent in either body not seeking reelection. Incumbent School Committee Vice Chairperson Jennifer Spadafora (Ward 3) and members Robert McCarthy Jr. (Ward 2), Elizabeth J. Hortie (Ward 5), Keith E. Bernard (Ward 7) and Sharyn Rose-Zeiberg (Ward 8) are all running unopposed and will be reelected in Tuesday’s election.

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Where to vote in Malden on Election Day

Following are the locations of Malden polling places to vote

on Tuesday, November 4

WARD 1

Ward 1, Precinct 1 — Ferryway School Cafeteria, 150 Cross St.

Ward 1, Precinct 2 — Ferryway School Cafeteria, 150 Cross St.

Ward 1, Precinct 3 — Ferryway School Cafeteria, 150 Cross St.

WARD 2

Ward 2, Precinct 1 — Community Room, 189 Pearl St.

Ward 2, Precinct 2 — Irish American, Main Hall (left), 177 West St.

Ward 2, Precinct 3 — Irish American, Main Hall (right), 177 West St.

WARD 3

Ward 3, Precinct 1 — Beebe School, K-4 Gym, 401 Pleasant St.

Ward 3, Precinct 1A — Beebe School, K-4 Gym, 401 Pleasant St.

Ward 3, Precinct 2 — Beebe School, Music Room, 401 Pleasant St.

Ward 3, Precinct 3 — Beebe School, Music Room, 401 Pleasant St.

WARD 4

Ward 4, Precinct 1 — Early Learning Center (ELC) Gym (left), 257 Mountain Ave.

Ward 4,  Precinct 2 — Senior Center, Auditorium, 17 Washington St.

Ward 4, Precinct 3 — ELC Gym (right), 257 Mountain Ave.

WARD 5

Ward 5, Precinct 1 — Salemwood School Fieldhouse Cafeteria (left), 529 Salem St.

Ward 5, Precinct 2 — Forestdale School Cafeteria (left), 74 Sylvan St.

Ward 5, Precinct 3 — Forestdale School Cafeteria (center), 74 Sylvan St.

Ward 5, Precinct 3A — Forestdale School Cafeteria (right), 74 Sylvan St.

WARD 6

Ward 6, Precinct 1 — 630 Salem St. Community Room, 630 Salem St.

Ward 6, Precinct 2 — Club 24, Members Room, 787 Salem St.

Ward 6, Precinct 3 — Malden Moose, Main Hall, 562 Broadway

WARD 7

Ward 7, Precinct 1 — Ferryway School, Library Lobby, 150 Cross St.

Ward 7, Precinct 2 — DAV Building, 85 Willow St.

Ward 7, Precinct 3 — Suffolk Manor, Community Room, 312 Bryant St.

Ward 7, Precinct 3A — Suffolk Manor, Community Room, 312 Bryant St.

WARD 8

Ward 8, Precinct 1 — Linden School Cafeteria (left), 29 Wescott St.

Ward 8, Precinct 2 — Linden School, Cafeteria (center), 29 Wescott St.

Ward 8, Precinct 3 — Linden School, Cafeteria (right), 29 Wescott St.