Election Commish makes polling changes

Early list of candidates point to busy election year

  With the number of candidates emerging, all signs are pointing to a busy election season.

  This week, Election Commissioner Paul Fahey was at the City Council meeting looking for the board’s approval of several changes to polling locations. Changes were made in response to feedback from officials and voters.

  Voters in Ward 1, Precinct 3, who have previously voted at Beachmont School, will now cast their ballots at the American Legion post next to City Hall.

  Voting will return to the Jack Satter House for Ward 5, Precinct 1A voters. Ward 5 voters in Precincts 2 and 3 will head to the gym at the Paul Revere School to vote. There will also be a small change in Ward 6. Previously, voters in Ward 1 and Ward 2 voted in the gym at the Whalen School while voters in Precinct 3 voted in the cafeteria. This fall, all Ward 6 residents will vote in the Whalen School Gym. The Election Commission will have signs directing voters to the appropriate places.

  Councillors thanked Fahey for the changes that will make voting easier for residents throughout the city. The council also approved in-person early voting as well as the election schedule posted on the Election Commission’s web page.

  Although it is still early, so far four city councillors are vying to fill the empty mayoral office: Acting mayor and City Council President Patrick Keefe and Councillors-at-Large Dan Rizzo, Gerry Visconti and Stephen Morabito have started their campaigns.

  The open at-large City Council seats have drawn a crowd. In addition to incumbents Anthony Zambuto and Marc Silvestri, Stephen Damaino, Robert Haas, Michelle Kelly, Juan Jaramillo, Joseph Maglione, Anthony Parziale and Wayne Rose are in the race.

  In the wards, Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro is running unopposed. In Ward 4, DPW Director Paul Argenzio is running for the seat left open by City Council President and mayoral candidate Patrick Keefe. Ward 5 incumbent John Powers will face challenges from Angela Sawaya and Randall Mondestin. And in Ward 6, Chris Giannino is running for the seat left open by Councillor Richard Serino, who opted not to seek reelection.