Voting underway for Mass. State Primary
By Jay Turner
In-person early voting is available at Town Hall August 22-28.
A jam-packed Democratic ticket and new voting options for all voters are two of the top local storylines in the upcoming State Primary Election scheduled for Tuesday, September 1.
While polls will be open during regular hours on election day, a new state law designed to safeguard voters during the COVID-19 pandemic allows for two other options: voting by mail, or voting early in person during a seven-day period from August 22-28. (See this week’s paper for voting instructions.)
In Canton, those who are registered Republicans or unenrolled voters who opt for the GOP ballot will be asked to decide between Shiva Ayyadurai, a Belmont scientist and entrepreneur, and Kevin O’Connor, a Dover attorney, for the U.S. Senate nomination. The only other name on the GOP ballot is Norfolk County Sheriff Jerry McDermott, who is unchallenged in the primary and is running for the final two years of former Sheriff Michael Bellotti’s six-year term. McDermott, a former Boston city councilor and current Westwood resident, was appointed to the post in 2018 after Bellotti stepped down to become the interim president of Quincy College.
Meanwhile, over on the Democratic side, Canton voters will have plenty of decisions to make with 22 potential nominees spread out over eight contested races. Among them is former Sheriff Bellotti, who is running this time for Norfolk County treasurer against fellow Quincy resident Brad Croall, a city councilor with a background in financial services.
In the congressional races, two Washington veterans, Senator Ed Markey and Congressman Stephen Lynch, both face primary challengers in their bids for reelection. Markey, a former longtime U.S. representative who has served in the Senate since 2013, is locked in a contentious battle with Congressman Joe Kennedy III (MA 4th District), while Lynch, a nine-term incumbent in the 8th District, looks to fend off a challenge from a decidedly more progressive newcomer in Dr. Robbie Goldstein.
Also making a run against longtime incumbents in the state-level races are Jarred Rose and Tamisha Civil, both of neighboring Stoughton. Rose, a former Massachusetts Senate staffer and an elected Stoughton town meeting member, is looking to unseat state Senator Walter Timilty Jr. of Milton in the Norfolk, Bristol & Plymouth District. Civil, a probation officer, legal advocate and host of the radio program “Voice of Reason Boston,” is running for state representative in the 6th Norfolk District against 10-term incumbent Bill Galvin of Canton.
As for the county races, there are no shortage of options this year for Democratic voters with five names on the ballot for register of probate, four candidates for two county commissioner seats, and three candidates for the sheriff’s vacancy, plus the aforementioned treasurer’s race between Bellotti and Croall.
In the county commissioner’s race, Canton attorney, town moderator and former selectman Richard Staiti will seek one of the nominations in a field that also includes incumbent Joe Shea of Quincy, former Dedham selectman Dennis Guilfoyle, and Braintree Town Councilor Charles Ryan. The top two vote getters will go on to face Independent candidate Heather Hamilton, a Brookline Select Board member, in the November 3 general election.
In the most crowded race in the field, five newcomers will vie for the nomination for Norfolk register of probate: Norwood attorney Colleen Brierley, Quincy City Councilor-at-Large Noel DiBona, Quincy School Committee member Kathryn Hubley, Quincy attorney Courtney Madden, and Westwood Select Board member and veteran trial attorney Michael Walsh.
The current register of probate, Patrick McDermott of Quincy (no relation to Jerry McDermott), has decided to vacate the post after three terms and will instead seek the Democratic nomination for Norfolk sheriff along with Jimmy Coughlin, a retired State Police detective captain from Dedham, and former Quincy Mayor Bill Phelan.
Also appearing on the Democratic Primary in the lone uncontested race is Bob Jubinville of Milton, who is running for reelection to the Massachusetts Governor’s Council in the 2nd District.
For more information about voting in the State Primary, or to register to vote online before the August 22 deadline, visit the Secretary of State’s Elections Division page at sec.state.ma.us/ele.
GOP Campaign Websites
U.S. Senate: Shiva Ayyadurai (shiva4senate.com), Kevin O’Connor (kocforsenate.com)
County Sheriff: Jerry McDermott (sheriffjerrymcdermott.com)
Democratic Campaign Websites
U.S. Senate: Ed Markey (edmarkey.com), Joe Kennedy III (kennedyforma.com)
U.S. Rep: Stephen Lynch (stephenflynch.com), Robbie Goldstein (robbieforchange.com)
Governor’s Councillor: Bob Jubinville (votejubinville.com)
State Senate: Walter Timilty (timilty4senate.com), Jarred Rose (jarredrose.com)
State Rep: Bill Galvin (staterepbillgalvin.com), Tamisha Civil (tamishacivil.com)
Register of Probate: Colleen Brierley (facebook.com/Colleen4Probate), Noel DiBona (noeldibona.com), Kathryn Hubley (kathyhubley.com), Courtney Madden (courtneymadden.org), Michael Walsh (walshforprobate.com)
County Treasurer: Michael Bellotti (mike4treasurer.com), Brad Croall (bradcroall.com)
County Commissioner: Joseph Shea (facebook.com/SheaforNorfolk), Dennis Guilfoyle (dennis-guilfoyle.org), Charles Ryan (votecharlieryan.com), Richard Staiti (votestaiticommissioner.com)
County Sheriff: James Coughlin (coughlin2020.com), Patrick McDermott (patrickmcdermott.org), William Phelan (phelanforsheriff.com)
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=69384
Posted by Jay Turner
on Aug 21 2020. Filed under News, Town Election.
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