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Alex Veras, who advocated for decades for neighborhood representation, will have to sit out his own run for Haverhill ward councilor because of illness.
While his name remains on the ballot for Ward 1, Veras notified Haverhill City Clerk Kaitlin M. Wright last week that he is suspending his campaign. He tells WHAV he recently endured surgery to remove tumors from his jawbone and throat area which affects his ability to speak for long lengths of time.
“So far, the prognosis is good. I’ll survive this. I’ve survived a lot of things. I mean, I grew up in Haverhill, so I’ll survive this” he says.
Twenty years ago, Veras worked with Haverhill City Councilor John A. Michitson during an early attempt to elect city councilors by ward in Haverhill. Although unsuccessful then, he says he made a prediction that would come true.
“They did what I long thought they were going to do where I told people, the moment a lawsuit is filed, they’re going to collapse because nobody wants to be made a fool of on a federal stand,” he explains.
In 2021, Boston-based Lawyers for Civil Rights, working with Haverhill’s Latino Coalition, sent a “demand” letter that stopped just short of threatening outright legal action. Haverhill residents voted by a 2-1 margin in favor of ward representation in a non-binding referendum that fall, prompting the City Council to send a home rule petition to the state last year.
Veras says he also worked with Lawrence Rep. Frank A. Moran and former acting Lawrence Mayor Kendrys Vasquez on the concept of creating minority-majority districts that reshaped the electoral map in Massachusetts.
“I’m very proud that on two occasions that I helped get more elected Latinos. I’ll go to my grave with that. History may not give me the credit, but if you ask Frank Moran who designed that district—and his family and my family go back to the Dominican Republic, you ask him who did this, he’ll point that kind from Haverhill did it.”
His opponent for the Ward 1 council seat, Ralph T. Basiliere, offers well wishes. “This is sad. I pray he is well soon. I’ll continue working to earn every vote so the long-suffering people of Ward 1 can be confident in their neighborhood councilor.”
Last week, candidates for mayor, City Council and School Committee drew ballot positions. A full list of those appearing on the city’s Tuesday, Nov. 7, ballots is below.
| Campaign | |
|---|---|
| (Names are listed in ballot order under each campaign) | |
| Mayor | |
| Barrett, Melinda E. | |
| Cooper, Guy E. | |
| City Council-At Large | |
| Sullivan, Thomas J. | |
| LePage, Colin F. | |
| Simmons, Fred A. | |
| Michitson, John A. | |
| Jordan, Timothy J. | |
| City Council Ward 1 | |
| Basiliere, Ralph T. | |
| Veras, Alexander Robert | |
| City Council Ward 2 | |
| Sapienza-Donais, Toni | |
| Hobbs Everett, Katrina E.J. | |
| City Council Ward 3 | |
| Ferreira, Devan M. | |
| City Council Ward 4 | |
| Quimby, Kenneth E. | |
| Lewandowski, Melissa J. | |
| City Council Ward 5 | |
| Toohey, Shaun P. | |
| Morales, Michael | |
| City Council Ward 6 | |
| McGonagle, Michael S. | |
| Aguilo, Oliver | |
| City Council Ward 7 | |
| Rogers, Catherine P. | |
| School Committee-At Large* | |
| Magliocchetti, Paul A. | |
| Rosa, Richard J. | |
| Ryan-Ciardiello, Maura L. | |
| School Committee Ward 1 | |
| Diaz, Erica (write-in) | |
| School Committee Ward 2 | |
| Sullivan, Gail M. | |
| Sapienza-Donais, Toni | |
| School Committee Ward 3 | |
| Dilonex, Liliana | |
| Ferguson, Cheryl A. | |
| School Committee Ward 4 | |
| Lalumiere, Mikaela D. | |
| Simmons, Fred A. | |
| School Committee Ward 5 | |
| Story, Jill Taylor | |
| Hickey, Lynette | |
| School Committee Ward 6 | |
| Pfeil, Chad | |
| Collins, Yonnie | |
| School Committee Ward 7 | |
| Grannemann, Thomas W. | |
| Rogers, Hunter Price | |
| * No election in 2023 |