Haverhill Voters to Decide New Mayor, Mostly Ward-Based City Council and School Committee

Haverhill City Clerk Kaitlin M. Wright is encouraging residents who haven’t already voted to take part in today’s general election—which will bring in a new mayor in January and the city’s first ward councilors and school committee members.

Wright says about 2,800 Haverhill residents took part in early voting and vote-by-mail as of Monday. She notes 519 people took part in early voting and, as of Monday, about 2,300 people returned mail-in ballots.

“As “Tip” O’Neill once said, ‘All politics are local,’ and this is going to be one of the most pivotal elections that we will see in our time in Haverhill with a new mayor coming into office. I highly encourage people to get out there and vote,” she says.

She says the early voting and mail-in turnout was better than earlier elections this year. The remaining 2,800 residents who requested mail-in ballots, but who have not already sent them, are asked to bring their ballots to her office at City Hall or use the drop-off box outside City Hall’s Main Street entrance. She warns it is too late to put them in the mail. The remainder of the city’s 48,408 registered voters may visit their usual polling locations between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Wright says she hopes at least 10,000 voters ultimately participate. She points out much taxpayer money went into this year’s elections, but still worries many residents haven’t taken time to become informed.

Next year’s City Council expands to 11 members with seven city councilors elected by ward with four others elected at-large. The school Committee will have seven ward members, three citywide representatives and the mayor as tiebreaker. The new system also reduces School Committee terms from four to two years. Those elected to four-year terms in 2021— Paul A. Magliocchetti, Maura L. Ryan-Ciardiello and Richard J. Rosa—are permitted to complete their terms of office at large.

New faces are assured with Mayor James J. Fiorentini not seeking re-election after 20 years as mayor and City Councilor Joseph J. Bevilacqua also choosing not to run for re-election. No candidates for the Ward 1 School Committee seat took out papers in time to be listed on the ballot, but Erica Diaz is the only contender to step forward with an organized write-in campaign.

Haverhill residents voted by a 2-1 margin in favor of ward representation in a non-binding referendum in 2021. Last year, both branches of the state legislature and then-Gov. Charlie Baker approved the city’s home rule petition to implement the voters’ choice.

WHAV’s live election coverage with anchor Marc Lemay and the full WHAV News team begins tonight at 8. A full list of candidates for all offices appears 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