Methuen voters headed to the polls Tuesday, deciding that current City Councilor Jennifer Kanan and educator Neil Perry will be the two candidates to face off in November’s municipal election to succeed Mayor James P. Jajuga.
Residents cast 4,923 total ballots in the Sept. 17, according to unofficial totals released by the City Clerk’s office. Perry came out on top with 2,607 votes, while Kanan received 1,212. Realtor Daniel Shibilia Jr. earned 929 votes and a fourth challenger, Don J. Riccio, received 147 votes.
After 18 months in office, Jajuga announced in June that he would not be seeking a second term as Methuen’s top leader. “I have been focused on leading and managing the city we all love through unprecedented challenges…and now that this is complete, I have taken some time to look to the future,” he told WHAV at the time.
“I will always be grateful for the people of Methuen for their trust and confidence in me. Eight times I placed my name on the ballot, and eight times the voters gave me a chance to serve,” he added. “Now it’s time to pass that honor on to someone else.”
Voters will head back to the polls to choose between Perry and Kannan on Nov. 5. They’ll also cast ballots for Methuen’s West and Central District Councilors on that date.