Boston City Council members call to bypass special election

Local News

Officials, community advocates, and voters have cited low turnout and high costs among the reasons for skipping the special election.

Members of the Boston City Council are calling to waive a special election after Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson announced plans to resign.

Council President Ruthzee Louijeune and Councilor Liz Breadon filed a petition Monday to waive a special election for District 7 city councilor prior to the Nov. 4 general election, they said in a press release. Officials cited high costs, low potential voter turnout, and inadequate time for voters to learn about the candidates among the reasons for forgoing the special election.

“Given the accelerated timeline, the risk of excluding residents from the process is significant,” Louijeune said in the press release. “With the general election approaching later this year, it would be inequitable to ask the public to participate in such a hastened process that will leave voices out.”

The Boston City Charter calls for a special election if a city council seat is left vacant more than 180 days before the general election. However, Boston City Clerk Alex Geourntas has not yet received a notice of vacancy from Fernandes Anderson, which he must receive in order to trigger the special election requirement, according to the release.

Once Fernandes Anderson’s council seat becomes vacant, at-large councilors and staff will make themselves available to “handle constituent matters,” the release said.

Though the general election is more than 180 days away, Louijeune and Breadon wrote that forgoing the special election is in the best interests of residents, candidates, and Boston’s Election Department. By sticking to one preliminary election and one general election, they hope to avoid the “uncertainty of any special election calendar” and the “confusion of multiple elections in quick succession,” the release said.

“With preliminary and general elections already scheduled for September and November, and several candidates having declared their intention to run in District 7, seeking special legislation to bypass the city charter and forego a special election during a mayoral election year is the responsible course of action,” Breadon said in the release.

Secretary of State William F. Galvin, State Sen. Liz Miranda, and State Reps. Chynah Tyler, John Moran, and Christopher Worrell are among the elected officials who are backing the decision to bypass the special election, according to the release.

“It is my duty as State Representative of the Roxbury neighborhood to help provide clarity to the uncertainty many neighbors are feeling during this time,” Tyler said in the release. “Allowing adequate time to fully vet candidates for the District 7 seat is the right thing to do — they deserve it.”

District 7 includes Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway, and parts of the South End. Local advocates have also voiced their desire to skip a special election.

“Low-income families, essential workers, and those most impacted by injustice already face barriers to voting,” Mimi Ramos, executive director of New England Community Project, said in the release. “Asking them to show up for three elections in just a few months is unrealistic and unfair.”

If a special election were to be held, it would likely happen in the middle of summer, which may deter some voters, according to the release.

“I care deeply about who represents our community, but a special election in July or August just doesn’t make sense. People are traveling, working, and less engaged during the summer,” Jawayne Ceasar, a Roxbury resident said in the release. “Let’s focus on getting the highest turnout possible in September when more voters are prepared to make their voices heard.”