City Council Candidates Pound the Pavement

By John Lynds

District 1 City Council candidate Stephen Passacantilli makes a campaign stop in East Boston last week during a seniors’ luncheon.

The departure of Charlestown’s Jack Kelly and East Boston’s Michael Sinatra has left only three candidates vying to fill City Councilor Sal LaMattina’s District 1 City Council seat once he leaves office at the end of this term.

With four months to go until the city primary, Eastie’s Lydia Edwards and Margaret Farmer and the North End’s Stephen Passacantilli have been hitting the pavement in the district’s neighborhoods of Eastie, the North End and Charlestown.

Over the past few weeks the candidates have been meeting constituents, knocking doors, getting the required nomination signatures and planning campaign kickoffs in the neighborhood.

Edwards, who ran for State Senate during a special election last year, said the response so far to her candidacy has been overwhelming.

“We are officially on the ballot,” said Edwards. “We are off to a strong start and we are already knocking on doors and learning about what voters want from their city councilor.”

Edwards said she will officially kick off her campaign on Wednesday, May 24 at 5:30 p.m. at La Hacienda in East Boston.

Farmer said the response to her campaign has been ‘excellent’.

“I have worked hard in this community for many years, on a variety of issues, so I am well known and have a great reputation as someone that you can count on,” said Farmer. “As a citizen candidate, I think people understand the background I bring to the campaign.”

Farmer, who entered the race a few weeks after Edwards and Passacantilli, is still out collecting signatures so she can be on September’s Primary ballot.

“I am enjoying the opportunity to meet new people and connect with supporters while hearing the concerns and issues that are most important to people,” said Farmer. “I believe it is important to have signatures from across the district and I have used this as an opportunity to reach out to different groups.”

Farmer will kickoff her campaign on Thursday, May 25 at Maverick Marketplace Cafe in Eastie at 6 p.m.

For his part, Passacantilli was the first candidate to hand in the required amount of signatures to be on the ballot in September.

“Since declaring my candidacy I’ve been out knocking on doors in every corner of the district, and the response has been incredible,” said Passacantilli. “As a husband and father raising a family in this district, I understand how important it is for all of our residents to have access to great local schools, live on safe, healthy streets, and provide top-notch services to our seniors.”

Passacantilli will host an Eastie campaign kickoff on Wednesday, June 7 at 6 p.m. at the Orient Heights Yacht Club.

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