Outgoing state Rep. Brian S. Dempsey. (WHAV News photograph.)
With a special primary election set for Tuesday Oct. 10 and final just short of a month later, candidates to fill Brian S. Dempsey’s Third Essex House seat face a relatively short campaign season.
Massachusetts Secretary of State William F. Galvin informed the Haverhill City Clerk’s office around noon, Thursday, the Democratic and Republican party primary elections must take place between the city’s preliminary and final municipal elections. The city will incur the cost of only one separate election since Galvin’s office said the two final elections may take place Tuesday, Nov. 7.
The cost of the special election won’t be formally calculated at least until Haverhill City Clerk Linda L. Koutoulas returns to her office next Tuesday.
Separate city and state election ballots will be provided to voters. Candidates to fill the representative seat may appear on both ballots if they are also seeking election to either the City Council or School Committee. Currently, only School Committeeman Paul A. Magliocchetti has announced his intention to run as a Democrat for the seat. However, there are indications City Councilor Andy Vargas, up for re-election to the council, will seek the soon-to-be vacant House seat. Similarly, School Committee member Shaun P. Toohey has taken out nomination papers for City Council and is said to be weighing a House run.
As School Committee terms are staggered, School Committeeman Scott W. Wood Jr. is not up for re-election this year, but has said he is interested in running in the representative race.
In September, Dempsey will become senior vice president and chief operating officer at ML Strategies, a wholly-owned consulting subsidiary of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo P.C., Boston.
My predictions.
Vargas and Toohey will run.
Sullivan will seriously consider but not run.
Fiorintini will be tempted but realize he loves being Mayor and can be mayor as long as he likes and think better of it-not run.
Wood , and Bevilaqua will excite themselves by getting their name in the papers but not run.
Magliocheti will ultimately win with 2 or 3 key endorsements helping him carry the day in a fiercely competitive primary with Vargas and will tromp Toohey in a lanslide win in the final election. Vargas will top the City council ticket assuming the Presidency.
I think it will be Magliochetti v. Vargas – Toss up as the victor though.
I agree Duncan. It’ll be interesting.