Four mayoral candidates will highlight ’23 election

Nomination papers available Monday, May 1

  With Mayor Brian Arrigo officially resigning today, City Council President Patrick Keefe stepping up to lead the city as acting mayor, City Council Vice President Joanne McKenna becoming acting City Council president and a slew of new faces and incumbents announcing their intentions to run for the mayor’s office, City Council seats and seats on the School Committee, it feels as if Revere is in the heat of election season.

  But actually, nothing is official just yet. Nomination papers are not available until May 1. Candidates can then pull papers and collect 50 signatures of registered voters needed to have their names placed on the ballot. All offices require all candidates to collect 50 signatures. The only exception are candidates for ward councillors, who must collect 50 signatures within their wards.

  Candidates then return signatures to the elections department in City Hall, where they will be checked. Once members of the elections department validate the signatures, a candidate will be certified, which is more the in-it-to-win-it official start of campaigns.

  With City Councillors Patrick Keefe, Gerry Visconti, Dan Rizzo and Steven Morabito all announcing their intention to run for mayor, there will be a preliminary election on Tuesday, Sept. 19. Preliminary elections are held when there are more than double the candidates running for a seat or vacancy. Candidates and their supporters have already started campaigning online, and the tone of the talk reflects Election Commissioner Paul Fahey’s prediction that it will be a heavily contested election.

  With three of the four mayoral candidates leaving at-large City Council seats to run in the mayor’s race, it’s not surprising that the councilor-at-large race has attracted new faces. Planning board member Juan Pablo Jaramillo, Anthony Paziale and Bob Haas have all announced their intention to run for the at-large City Council seats. It is expected that incumbent Councillors-at-Large Marc Silvestri and Anthony Zambuto will continue, with Zambuto stating, “I’m definitely running” when reached for comment.

  The races for ward seats on the City Council are still taking shape. Ward 1 Councillor Joanne Mckenna is expected to run for reelection. Ward 2 Councillor Ira Novoselsky and Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro will continue their reelection bids.

  In ward 4, Public Works Superintendent Paul Argenzio has officially announced his campaign for the seat Keefe will leave vacant. Ward 5 Councillor John Powers, although he could not be reached by press time, appears to intend to hold his City Council seat after returning when former ward councillor Al Fiore resigned due to health issues. Powers, if he announces for reelection, will face two challengers: Randall Mondestin, who helped establish the Revere 311 system, and former teacher Angela Guarino Sawaya.

  Ward 6 Councillor Richard Serino announced at the start of the year he would not be seeking reelection. Serino wanted to give other candidates time to consider running for a seat on the City Council. Retired police sergeant Chris Giannino announced for the ward 6 councillor seat last month.

  The races for School Committee are also unsettled because of the pending home rule petition to change the election process for the Revere School Committee now winding through the state legislature, which must approve the change. The School Committee currently has six at-large members. The home rule petition would increase the committee to nine members, with six ward representatives, two at-large members and the mayor. While the Revere School Committee Bill faces no opposition, it’s not clear if everything will be in place for the November election.

  While it seems as if races and campaigns are well underway, there is still plenty of time for anyone who feels up to wading into the world of local politics. The deadline to file completed nomination papers (available on May 1) is Tuesday, August 1, at 5 p.m.