Published August 26, 2020
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Let the 2020 election season begin.
Voters in all four precincts will be heading to the polls at the Lynnfield High School gym for the state primary on Tuesday, Sept. 1. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Town Clerk Linda Emerson noted the town has 9,402 registered voters. She said a number of residents have expressed interest in early voting as well as voting by mail in the lead up to next Tuesday’s primary.
“I think we are going to have a high turnout,” said Emerson. “We have mailed out 2,220 ballots as of last Thursday.”
While the deadline to request a ballot for voting by mail passed after the Villager went to press, Emerson said residents can still vote early on Thursday and Friday. She said early voting will occur on Thursday, Aug. 27 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28.
“Our early voting location is at Town Hall, 55 Summer St.,” Emerson stated on the town website. “Voters should enter through the front door or handicapped accessible door. We will have a one-way traffic flow with social distancing.”
There are three contested races appearing on the Democratic primary ballot and one contested race on the Republican primary ballot. There are no Green-Rainbow Party and Libertarian Party candidates running in their respective primaries, but voters can still request ballots for those primaries.
Democratic primary
The Democratic primary features contested races for Governor’s Council, Sixth Congressional District and U.S. Senate.
Sixth District Governor’s Councilor Terrance Kennedy of Stafford Road is being challenged by Lynn resident Helina Fontes. Kennedy, who was first elected to the seat in November 2010, stated on his Facebook page that he “will always fight for diverse judges to be appointed.”
“Join me in calling on Gov. Charlie Baker to appoint more Latino/Latina, African American and LGBTQ judges,” Kennedy stated. “Silence is acceptance. We need action now.”
Forbes stated on her website that she is running for Governor’s Councilor because she sees “the unique opportunity this council provides in reshaping the Massachusetts judicial system for the better.”
“Too many of our prisons contain non-violet individuals in need of mental health care or simply cannot afford to pay the lofty bails set for them,” Forbes stated. “Poverty should not be penalized nor should individuals in need of mental health care or experiencing intellectual challenges be punished. We can and must do better.”
Topsfield residents Angus McQuilken and Jamie M. Belsito are challenging Congressman Seth Moulton for the Democratic nomination for the 6th Congressional District. Moulton, who was elected to Congress in November 2014, has advocated on behalf of veterans’ issues, criminal justice reform and local issues such as securing COVID-19 relief funds for the district as part of the CARES Act. He unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination for president last year.
Belsito is the founder of the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance. She has advocated for making health care more affordable, improving access to education and reforming the country’s immigration system.
McQuilken helped launch the Massachusetts Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. In addition to being a strong supporter of gun control, McQuilken has also made climate change a focal point of his campaign as well as job creation.
The race for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate is a showdown between incumbent Sen. Edward Markey and Congressman Joseph Kennedy III. Over the course of his tenure in both Congress and the U.S. Senate, Markey has advocated for renewable energy in order to fight climate change, and is a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal. He has also advocated on behalf of “Medicare for all” and gun control.
Kennedy, a grandson of late Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, has represented Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District since 2013. Since beginning his career in Congress, Kennedy has advocated for making health care more affordable, criminal justice reform and increasing access to mental health services.
Three other candidates are running unopposed in the Democratic primary. State Sen. Brendan Crighton of Lynn is running for a second two-year term.
North Reading resident Michelle Mullet is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for the 20th Middlesex District in the House of Representatives. Saugus resident Pamela Casey O’Brien is running for the Register of Probate.
Republican primary
There is one contested race appearing on the Republican ballot.
Dover resident Kevin J. O’Connor is running against Dr. V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate. O’Connor is a practicing attorney who opposes gun control and “sanctuary cities,” and is a supporter of term limits for members of Congress.
Ayyadurai has spoken out against vaccinations, including the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s recent mandate that students get a flu shot by the end of the year. The Indian-born entrepreneur also claims to have invented email.
There are two candidates running unopposed in the Republican primary. House Minority Leader Brad Jones of North Reading is running unopposed once again. John Paul Moran is running for the GOP nomination for the 6th Congressional District.