Highly anticipated Malden municipal election on Tuesday, Nov. 2

Many contested races for City Council and School Committee seats; voter turnout expected to be higher than usual

  One of the most highly anticipated Malden municipal elections in years is expected to draw a higher than usual voter turnout on Election Day, Tuesday, November 2. This year’s election is unique in a number of ways, starting with the fact that it is the first city election held during the COVID-19 Pandemic Era. The Presidential Election was indeed held last November 2020 when the pandemic was eight months into it, but this is the first citywide vote. The other “added attraction” is the large number of contested races for City Council and School Committee seats in this year’s election, as well as a larger than usual number of open seats for City Council and School Committee.

  Only one incumbent City Councillor (Ward 2-Paul Condon) is running unopposed. For School Committee there are several uncontested seats: Ward 1 (incumbent Michael Drummey), Ward 2 (incumbent Robert McCarthy), Ward 3 (incumbent Jennifer Spadafora), Ward 4 (newcomer Dawn Macklin), Ward 5 (Adam Weldai) and Ward 6 (incumbent Joseph Gray).

  There is a lot of interest in a number of the contested races, starting with Councillor-at-Large. Three seats will be elected on Tuesday citywide, and two seats are open because two incumbent City Councillors-at-Large, Debbie DeMaria and Stephen Winslow, opted not to run for reelection. (Winslow is running for the Ward 6 Councillor seat.) Incumbent longtime Councillor-at-Large Craig Spadafora is seeking reelection on Tuesday. Also in the running are former Ward 3 and Councillor-at-Large John Matheson, first-time political candidates Roberto DiMarco, Karen Colón Hayes and Carey McDonald and first-time Councillor-at-Large candidate Brian DeLacey.

  Contested Ward Councillor races:

• Ward 1: Incumbent Councillor Peg Crowe faces challenger and political newcomer Nadege Phillippe.
• Ward 3: Incumbent Amanda Linehan faces challenger and political newcomer Glen Curtis.
• Ward 4: Incumbent Ryan O’Malley faces challenger and former Ward 4 Councillor Jeffrey Donahue.
• Ward 5: Incumbent Barbara Murphy faces challenger Ariane Taylor.
• Ward 6: Stephen Winslow, who is not running for reelection as Councillor-at-Large and former School Committee Member Jerry Leone are facing off for an open seat.
• Ward 7: School Committee Member Michelle Luong (Ward 7) and former Councillor Chris Simonelli (Ward 7) are facing off for an open seat.
• Ward 8: Incumbent Jadeane Sica faces challenger and political newcomer Nate Bae Kupel.

  Incumbents David Camell (Ward 6) and City Council President Neal Anderson (Ward 7) are not seeking reelection.

  Contested races for School Committee:

• Ward 7: Keith Bernard and Nichole Mossalam are running for an open seat.
• Ward 8: Bruce Friedman and Sharon Rose Zeiberg are running for an open seat.

  Longtime School Committee Members Leonard Iovino (Ward 4) and John Froio (Ward 8) are not seeking reelection. Incumbent Ward 7 School Committee member Michelle Luong is running for Ward 7 Councillor.

  Polls will be open in all eight Malden Wards from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. There is only one polling place location change in one precinct in the city for this election; all other locations in the other 15 precincts citywide are the same. The only change is in Ward 6, Precinct 1, where the polling place location will be at the Member’s Room at Club 24, 787 Salem St. For many years previously, the voters in Ward 6-1 voted at the Mystic Valley Charter School building at 4 Laurel St.

  Early voting in person continues for all voters, all wards on Monday, November 1 at Malden City Hall, 215 Pleasant St., from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. in the City Clerk’s Office.

  Following are the Malden polling locations for the Tuesday, November 2 election, open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.:

  Ward 1, Precincts 1 and 2: Ferryway School, 150 Cross St.

  Ward 2, Precinct 1: Community Room, 89 Pearl St.

  Ward 2, Precinct 2: Irish American Club, 177 West St.

  Ward 3, Precinct 1: Beebe School, K-4 Gymnasium

  Ward 3, Precinct 2: Beebe School, Music Room

  Ward 4, Precinct 1: Early Childhood Learning Center (Holmes School), Gymnasium, 250 Mountain Ave.

  Ward 4, Precinct 2: Senior Center, 7 Washington St.

  Ward 5, Precinct 1: Salemwood School, 529 Salem St.

  Ward 5, Precinct 2: Forestdale School, 74 Sylvan St.

  Ward 6, Precinct 1: Club 24, 787 Salem St,

  Ward 6, Precinct 2: Community Room, 630 Salem St.

  Ward 7, Precinct 1: Ferryway School, 150 Cross St.

  Ward 7, Precinct 2: Suffolk Manor, 312 Bryant St.

  Ward 8, Precincts 1 and 2: Linden School, 29 Wescott St.