While the focus this fall has been on a contested mayor’s race, one contested school committee battle, one contested at-large aldermen contest and two contested ward aldermen races, every seat on both our boards are up for election every two years.

The Nov. 5 ballot includes three unopposed newcomers who will inherit seats Jan. 1 without appearing in a single debate or needing to recruit an army of TAB letter writers. (True confession: I never read those things…does anybody?) Also easing into an elected seat without breaking a sweat is former Alderman Rick Lipoff Lipof, who will return to the board in 2014 without needing to stick a single lawn sign in the ground.

While NewTV invited all incumbents and challengers to shoot video messages, it seems that not everyone did. Below are the videos from two of the newcomers.

I’d love to know why Ellen Gibson (Ward 1 School Committee) and Lipoff Lipof (Ward 8, at large) passed up this opportunity to speak directly to voters.

Decision 2013: Ruth Goldman from NewTV on Vimeo.

Decision 2013: James Cote from NewTV on Vimeo.