This weekend promises to be one of the busiest in recent years. The fun begins with the annual festivities of the Feast of the Three Saints and the Mahrajan during the days Friday, August 31th until Sunday, September 2nd. That is followed by the Bread & Roses Festival on Monday, September 3rd Labor Day, and culminating with the elections on Tuesday, September 4.
Speaking of elections, as the date of the Primary Elections approaches, expectation grows for those who are running in a field full of applicants for the same position.
Although the position of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and many other important positions are at stake, those that have a direct impact on Lawrence continue, as always, being the most commented.
This is the case of the position of Representative for the 3rd. Massachusetts Congressional District, which since 2007 has been occupied by Rep. Niki Tsongas (D) and has announced his retirement. Niki ran on the name of her late husband former Congressman Paul Tsongas who later became Senator of Massachusetts, still warmly regarded by many. She won, and in her 11 years of service exceeded expectations. We’re going to miss her!
As a result of her resignation, 10 Democratic candidates are nominated to occupy her position against 1 Republican candidate. Among the Democratic candidates, some of them rushed to move within the district to participate in the primary elections and are, coincidentally, the ones that have raised the most, so they have been allowed to advertise on television.
Another important position that is at stake is that of Secretary of State, which has one opponent within his own party and one for the Republican Party. It is well known that our Mayor Daniel Rivera openly supports the incumbent’s Democratic opponent, who once reminded Rivera, “I made you mayor.” Although Rivera made that revelation, we never knew what kind of help the latter received from the Secretary of State.
In the Register of Deeds, the Democratic Party is presenting two candidates against the incumbent, although he has no opposition from the Republican Party. For Representative in General Court, District 16 of Essex has two candidates, in this case, the usual candidates. There are no opponents from the Republican Party.
Analyze the names that appear on the ballot of your choosing and go vote on September 4. Take your time. As you will see, we have decided not to mention candidates by their names so that they do not accuse us of influencing voters.
Remember that the civic duty of every citizen is to vote at election time for the candidate that in his/her opinion benefits the community most. If by chance, you have asked to vote in absentia due to commitments that keep you away from the city on Election Day, please be very careful when filling out that ballot. If you need help, ask someone you trust to make sure the vote goes to the candidate you are trying to vote for. NEVER sign the ballot before making sure your candidates have been properly marked.
Remember, on September 4, fulfill your civic duty, go vote!
