Haverhill Councilors Question if Candidates Should Be Able to Run For More Than One Office at a Time

Aug 04, 2023

Haverhill City Councilor Melissa J. Lewandowski. (Courtesy photograph.)

Click image for Haverhill City Council agenda.

With three Haverhill candidates running for two elected offices each this fall, at least a few city councilors are questioning whether voters should weigh-in on the practice through a non-binding ballot question.

This year, incumbent Haverhill School Committee member Scott Wood, is seeking both the job of mayor and Ward 4 representative to the School Committee; Fred Simmons is on the ballot for both at-large city councilor and the Ward 4 School Committee; and incumbent School Committee member Toni Sapienza-Donais is running for both the Ward 2 City Council and School Committee slots.

Council President Timothy Jordan, Vice President John Michitson and Councilor MelissaLewandowski placed the idea on Tuesday’s City Council agenda. The proposed ballot question would ask voters if they favor changing the city charter to prevent anyone from seeking more than one elected office during the same cycle.

In other business before city councilors Tuesday, members are expected to place on file for the required two weeks an order to borrow $1.77 million to purchase a new Pierce Manufacturing 100-foot Heavy-Duty Low Profile Steel Aerial Ladder truck for the Fire Department.

The Haverhill City Council meets tonight at 7, remotely and in-person at the Theodore A. Pelosi Jr. Council Chambers, room 202, Haverhill City Hall, 4 Summer St., As a public service, 97.9 WHAV plans to carry the meeting live.