Scott Lennon will be the only candidate on the ballot for Alderman At-Large in the special election June 25 to fill the seat left vacant following the death of Carleton Merrill. Vote in our poll and explain your choice in the comments section.
[polldaddy poll=”7108116″]
I like Scott because he is a dedicated and responsive public servant. On the other hand, Scott is a great leader who has helped the Board run more efficiently. Overall, it’s a tough choice.
@David: The second Scott is indeed the kind of dedicated public servant Newton needs. The first Scott reminds me of the guy who should have run at large years ago but lacked the chutzpah.
The first Scott Lennon is an embarrassment of a candidate. His public support of just 17% in the poll above shows that he’s just a fringe candidate with virtually nobody backing his policies.
The 2nd Scott Lennon is a man of the people with his finger on the pulse of the electorate. His whopping 83% support shows this election is over before it’s even begun.
After reading these comments, I felt sorry for the first Scott, so I voted for him.
The first Scott Lennon is only using the position as a stepping stone so he can be mayor someday.
The second Scott Lennon is a savvy politician who knows that running at-large and letting city residents get to know him will heighten his visibility, increasing his chances of better serving the city someday.
I’m voting for Scott and so am I!!!!!!!
I recently signed nomination papers for the first Scott and thought he was the guy but after the praise for the second Scott I voted for him.
I just can’t help myself
Um…hate to say this folks but I’m afraid I reversed Scott Lennons when creating this poll. The first Lennon in the poll was supposed to be the second Lennon and vice versa. So if you meant to vote for the second Lennon, you should have selected the first, and so on.
I apologize for the confusion but they do look alike and have identical handshakes. Frankly, I don’t think we’ll know which Scott Lennon we’re going to get after June 25 but it’s pretty clear that Scott Lennon is going to get the most votes.
Will the Board of Alderman President tell us why he is doing this, and not sitting in his elected seat until Nov while others have a moment in the sun for some weeks? This idea of paying poll officials and buying computerized ballot boxes is not that much but why apply for candidacy for position which you are in charge? There is no harm no fowl if not for the fact that this positioning causes an empty seat. Why is this money and positioning that important to Newton?
Ok, so our BoA President and his positioning is good with the sponsors of this blog, got that. Is there any other reason why I should not be annoyed by this seat change and the reduction of charter votes that this person is doing? Who is Scott Lennon?
Hoss,
I’m not sure what you’re asking. What do you mean by the reduction of charter votes?
The votes prior to a vacant seat on death of an alderman were 24, right?. If there were 24 votes prior to one death, is there not a reduction of votes if a current elected member wants the seat? The current member being a President member of the BoA? Gail, Would you having been as a gov’t critic in news not been uncomfortable by a board president taking another board seat leaving one seat vacant? Why are we doing this for what appears to be one likable volunteer for Newton service?
@Hoss: The BOA did the right thing when it declined to follow the election department recommendation to seek a home rule petition to bypass the charter’s rules for filling a vacancy.
So now we have a special election and Lennon is exercising his right as a citizen from Ward 1 to seek that seat.
I believe you’re proposing that (once it became clear that no one else was running) Lennon should have not turned in papers, or withdrawn from this special election as a way to save tax dollars.
I’d guess (not positive but I think this is a good guess) that it’s too late. The election was set; candidates or not. There would still be a printed ballot, it just wouldn’t have any candidates. We would then be talking about a write-in campaign.
Gail, I dont’ know this candidate’s values, or even know what he looks like Why should I endorse this shenanigans by voting?? That vote in the date selected is important but what is going on here??
Greg Reibman — I agree w what you are stating as a matter of procedure. I can’t figure out why a board president would assert himself as a candidate for another seat. President of merit wants an unelected seat?? Why? The why involves money which we in Newton had a friggin tough time giving to the next school generation. Why not stay seated as President and by doing so another schmuck might sit on the Boa just for a few weeks?? This person needs to make a value statement in terms of why the seat change
@Hoss: This?
Not sure why this endorsement is of value someone like me that is not in the play of things. A vote as president is not the most prestigious vote? I do want a special election vote — but me as a resident of Newton detest political shenanigans so address that.
I have no idea what you are talking about.
Hi All
Greg, thanks for posting the reasoning from my announcement a few months ago. I appreciate it.
I guess I am unclear what answer(s) Hoss is seeking. The seat was open due to the passing of my colleague. I declared my candidacy well before any formal action was taken whether it was special or general election. I recused myself from the Board deliberations as I did not want to be perceived as influencing the timing of an election one way or another. The Board voted to have the special election and I exercised my right like any other resident of Ward One. I don’t know what shenanigans Hoss is referring to. In fact, I think I’ve been pretty open about my intentions and again, the seat was open to anyone.
Being Board President has been a tremendous honor and I am elected President by my colleagues to facilitate the work of the Board. My vote as President doesn’t count any more than anyone else’s.
If Hoss wants to talk with me about this further I’m at 617 584 5723 or you can email me at [email protected] and I’d be happy to respond.
Thanks all (or most) for the kind words..
Scott
Thanks Alderman Lennon. (I’m guessing Hoss may have been busy blogging and celebrating that Bruins OT win concurrently.)
The special election is important, no cost is too much. If this campaign is successful, it subtracts one seat from the board and the voice that would have sat there. Yes, that is just for a matter of weeks but why should I not feel like this is an opportunistic gain for one person which offers nothing to the greater board?
@Hoss: Are you suggesting that it is Scott Lennon’s fault that no one else chose to run for this open seat?
No one ran because it’s money better spent in Nov. The fault is asking for something because it’s available, not because you need it.
I’ll leave it at that Thanks
Actually, I suspect no one ran because they recognized that Lennon would be impossible or at least very hard to beat. But it is gratifying to see that several candidates have stepped forward to run for the soon to be open Ward 1 seat in November.
I like Scott, and my comment is not directed at him. But this is a perfect example of why our local ballots should include the words, “none of the above.” No one should win local elective office simply because they were the only candidate. If you can’t beat “none of the above,” you don’t deserve to win.
Interesting idea Mike. But what do you think should happen if “none of the above” wins? Should it trigger a special election? Should that seat remain unfilled until the next election? I recall that you’ve been wary of charter reform but this is something that would need to be part of that process.
I’m not sure of the answer to your first question, Greg. Clearly the consequence would need to be articulated in advance, and you’re completely correct that it would need to be resolved by a change in the charter. I feel pretty strongly that a “none of the above” option would be a positive thing for Newton elections. So much so that I would likely reverse my opposition to charter reform if it appeared this idea had wide support.
There is always the option to go to the polls and leave your ballot blank. A protest vote of sort. This way if Lennon doesn’t have the sense to vote for himself he doesn’t deserve to be Alderman-at-large.
@Janet: Um, what are we protesting?
Are you suggesting we not vote for candidate because no one else ran? How is that his fault?
Janet Sterman — Any choice on any ballot that is left blank is not counted as a vote. If you write in “Mickey Mouse” or anything else it is counted as a vote. Showing up and taking a ballot to be left blank is the same as not showing up at all; there is no recording of a vote.
Also, unless I’m not up the speed, I think this special “at-large” election is on the same date as the Markey/Gomez vote. If that’s the case, we need to vote for senator first, then ask for a “at-large” ballot and walk through the polling again.
It would have been very nice (and utterly ethical of a person) for this alderman to retain HIS elected seat and not use Newton’s elections as a play pen. The benefit for Newton is some new, and maybe outrageous person, to play the 24th Alderman for a few weeks…just as the Charter anticipated — to retain what was established.
Someone took this positioning for their own benefit, giving nothing to the greater city and in fact subtracting a Chartered voice. Stupid planning and there’s the personal fault Human greed.
Hoss, I really don’t understand what exactly you are disagreeing with.
What do you mean by “subtracting a chartered voice”? And who is “the new, and maybe outrageous person” who is going to “play the 24th Alderman for a few weeks”?
You do know that the Charter states that when there is a vacancy on the board within 15 months of the election, a special election must be held, right? And I’m sure you know that Carleton Merrill passed away within this timeframe.
Several aldermen supported asking the legislature to approve a home rule petition that would allow the election to wait until the November municipal election. The board defeated the docket item in a close vote.
Thus, the special election must be held. The amount that the election will cost the city doesn’t change because Alderman Lennon is running for the at-large seat and leaving a vacancy in the ward seat. Ward aldermen and aldermen at-large each have one vote that counts exactly the same. Alderman Lennon will remain board president. Nothing changes.
If your argument is that we shouldn’t be having the election, make that argument. But don’t blame Alderman Lennon.
This is a mockery of process. The appropriate thing would have been not to seek a seat which one already holds. If this was a classroom, someone in authority would say “you already have one, give someone else a chance” It’s not the highest sin in gov’t, but why any sins?