by David Trumbull

July 31, 2009

In seven weeks voters in the City of Boston will determine the candidates for the final November municipal election of mayor and city councillors. Two of the four incumbent at-large councillors are challenging Thomas M. Menino for mayor, so at least two new faces will be coming on the Council.

Those current council members—Michael F Flaherty and Sam Yoon—are joined by South End real estate developer Kevin R McCrea in challenging Mayor Menino, Boston’s first Italian-American chief executive.

Fifteen candidates have entered the contest for nine at-large council seats. In alphabetical order—which is not the official ballot order with will be drawn in the next few weeks—they are:

Doug Bennett
Robert L Fortes
Stephen J Murphy (incumbent)
John R Connolly (incumbent)
Andrew P Kenneally
Scotland M Willis
Sean H Ryan
Ego Ezedi
Tomas Gonzalez
Felix G Arroyo
Hiep Quoc Nguyen
Jean-Claude Sanon
Bill Trabucco
Ayanna S Pressley
Tito Jackson

In the Charlestown/East Boston/North End Council District One where many Post-Gazette readers live the incumbent Salvatore LaMattina is being challenged by Chris Kulikoski and Laura Garza.

Three other incumbent councillors face election contests. Chuck Turner (District Seven) is challenged for election by Althea Garrison, Roy A. Owens, and Carlos Tony Henriquez.

Michael P Ross (District Eight) is challenged by Oscar T. Brookins. And in District Nine Mark S Ciommo faces challenges from Benjamin Ian Narodick, Alex Selvig, and Abigail Furey.

Five councillors face no opposition on the ballot: Bill Linehan (District Two), Maureen E Feeney (District Three), Charles Calvin Yancey (District Four), Rob Consalvo (District Five), and John M Tobin Jr. (District Six)

September 2nd at 8:00 p.m. is the last hour and day for registration of voters for Preliminary Municipal Election which will take place September 22nd from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

[David Trumbull is the chairman of the Boston Ward Three Republican Committee. Boston's Ward Three includes the North End, West End, part of Beacon Hill, downtown, waterfront, Chinatown, and part of the South End.]

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