Today was the final day of the filing period for the 2021 Manchester Municipal Election. Here’s a recap of what went down.
A total of 153 candidates have officially filed paperwork running for Mayor, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA), the Board of School Committee (BOSC) as well as poll moderators, clerks and selectmen within each of the city’s wards, with three candidates (Karen Soule, Lisa Freeman and Carlos Gonzalez) filing for election roles as well as seats on the BOSC.
Freeman left the BOSC in 2019 and filed to run for Ward 5’s BOSC seat on Friday, believing that the Manchester School District administration has not received enough support from the current BOSC and that the current BOSC also does not have a diversity of viewpoints.
“What I’m seeing on the school board right now, there’s no balance. It’s all one-sided and there’s no for lack of a better word, opposition on any ideas coming forth,” she said. “There needs to be some balance on this board, two views rather than one.”
Freeman filed alongside fellow BOSC candidates Ken Tassey (Ward 6), Will Infantine (At-Large) and Joseph Lachance (At-Large).
Infantine, a Republican State Representative and member of last year’s School Charter Commission, didn’t initially plan on running but felt that the current BOSC has been micro-managing district officials.
“Instead of complaining about it, I felt that I could do something about it, so that’s when I decided I should run.” he said.
Infantine added that he will run as a ticket along with Lachance for the board’s two at-large seats. Lachance said that he was excited to see new faces running this fall.
“That board needs a change, it’s been no secret and I’ve been out there telling people that unless we see new faces on that board, it will be more of the same thing,” said Lachance. “We’re going to get something done and with the proper people getting on that board who want to do something for the taxpayers and the students, we’ll be good. But this election will be key.”
Tassey, a first-time candidate, decided to run at the urging of Infantine and hopes to prevent “divisive concepts” from becoming part of the city’s curriculum.
The incumbent BOSC Member for Ward 6, Dan Bergeron, arrived shortly after the city clerk’s office closed. Bergeron could not be reached later by phone regarding whether he will run a write-in campaign.
With Infantine and Lachance, there are now five candidates for the BOSC’s two At-Large seats, and the filing period concluded with eight candidates for the BMA’s two At-Large seats.
Incumbent Joseph Kelly Levasseur filed for re-election on Friday, as did Winter Trabex.
Trabex, whose legal name is Mark Dennis, has written several pieces on Manchester Ink Link in the past regarding homelessness in the city and believes something must be done – and not enough has been done – by the board’s current members, particularly Levasseur.
“The housing situation is atrocious and I’m tired of seeing alderman, particularly Joe Kelly Levasseur making inappropriate comments and playing on their phone during meetings, I’m just tired of it,” she said. “I figured ‘you know what, it’s not that expensive (to file), I might as well give it a shot.’”
Trabex said she would not spend any additional money on campaigning. Meanwhile, Ed Sapienza, who became the third candidate for Ward 8’s Aldermanic race on Friday, said he would not seek any campaign contributions.
“I’m here to represent the people of Ward 8. That’s it in a nutshell,” he said. “Let’s go for it.”
Other final day filings for the BMA and BOSC included Joseph Mottola (Ward 1 – BMA), Bobby O’Sullivan (Ward 2 – BMA), Jim Lupien and Robin Rice (Ward 2 – BOSC), Gregory Krill (Ward 3 – BMA), Karen Lessard (Ward 3 – BOSC), Teresa Vigneault (Ward 5 – BMA), Francis Sullivan (Ward 9 – BOSC), and finally, Nicholas Pigeon and Timothy Sawyer (Ward 10 – BOSC).
A primary will be held in each ward on Sept. 21 with the general election being held on Nov. 2.
Citywide Seats
Mayor
- Victoria Sullivan (7/12/21)
- Joyce Craig (7/19/21)
- Richard Girard (7/21/21)
Alderman At-Large
- June Trisciani (7/12/21)
- Elizabeth Moreau (7/12/21)
- Anthony Harris (7/12/21)
- Daniel O’Neil (7/13/21)
- Mary Ngwanda Georges (7/16/21)
- Dan Goonan (7/19/21)
- Mark Dennis* (7/23/21)
- Joseph Kelly Levasseur (7/23/21)
*- Legal name, see below
Board of School Committee At-Large
- Peter Argeropoulos (7/12/21)
- Jim O’Connell (7/15/21)
- Stephen Focht (7/20/21)
- William Infantine (7/23/21)
- Joseph Lachance (7/23/21)
Ward 1
Alderman
- Kevin Cavanaugh (7/19/21)
- Joseph Mottola (7/23/21)
Board of School Committee
- Julie Turner (7/15/21)
Moderator
- Sharyn Kelley (7/21/21)
Clerk
- Aaron Losier (7/21/21)
Selectmen
- Jim Townsend (7/13/21)
- Paul Allard (7/16/21)
- Michael O. Goonan (7/19/21)
- Judy DiBurro Vitale (7/21/21)
- Tracey Ecklund (7/21/21)
Ward 2
Alderman
- Will Stewart (7/15/21)
- Bobby O’Sullivan (7/23/21)
Board of School Committee
- Sean Parr (7/12/21)
- Kathleen Kelley Arnold (7/15/21)
- Robin G. Rice (7/23/21)
- Jim Lupien (7/23/21)
Moderator
- Nicholl Marshall (7/13/21)
Clerk
- Ryan Richman (7/21/21)
- Adeel Tahir (7/23/21)
Selectmen
- Elena Whitfield (7/13/21)
- Tyler Chase (7/14/21)
- Ronald B. Rose (7/14/21)
- Junior Munzimi (7/16/21)
WARD 3
Alderman
- Pat Long (7/12/21)
- Gregory Krill (7/23/21)
Board of School Committee
- Karen Soule (7/21/21)
- Karen Lessard (7/23/21)
Moderator
- Shannon MacLeod (7/23/21)
- Peter Sullivan (7/23/21)
Clerk
- Karen Soule (7/23/21)
Selectmen
- Glenn R.J. Ouellette (7/13/21)
- Michael Soule (7/21/21)
- Robert Dirusso (7/22/21)
- Glory Mukendi (7/23/21)
- Donald Stokes Jr. (7/23/21)
Ward 4
Alderman
- Nicole Klein-Knight (7/12/21)
- Christine Fajardo (7/12/21)
- Frank Negus Staples (7/16/21)
- Jim Roy (7/21/21)
Board of School Committee
- Leslie Want (7/12/21)
- Mark J. Flanders (7/16/21)
Moderator
- Stephen N. Mathieu (7/21/21)
- Jason Termini (7/21/21)
Clerk
- Jean Mathieu (7/21/21)
Selectmen
- Thierry Lakutu (7/12/21)
- Dede Conway (7/13/21)
- Joseph P. Wade (7/21/21)
- Marcella Termini (7/21/21)
- Craig Donais (7/22/21)
- John McGrath (7/23/21)
Ward 5
Alderman
- Leslee Petersen (7/13/21)
- Tony Sapienza (7/20/21)
Board of School Committee
- Jeremy Dobson (7/15/21)
- Lisa Marie Freeman (7/23/21)
Moderator
- Jennifer Farmer (7/14/21)
Clerk
- Lisa Marie Freeman (7/23/21)
- Angela Eisenbach (7/23/21)
- Patricia Dwyer (7/23/21)
Selectmen
- Darryl W. Perry (7/13/21)
- Deidre Christiansen (7/19/21)
- Richard Komi** (7/22/21)
- Sandy Eisenbach (7/23/21)
** – Komi filed for Moderator but withdrew on 7/23/21, and requested to file for selectman instead.
Ward 6
Alderman
- Sebastian “Seb” Sharonov (7/12/21)
- Daniel Wisniewski (7/15/21)
Board of School Committee
- Ken Tassey Jr. (7/23/21)
Moderator
- Louise Gosselin (7/16/21)
Clerk
- Nicole Cobb (7/16/21)
- Jon DiPietro (7/23/21)
Selectmen
- Roger Gosselin (7/16/21)
- Susan C. Lord (7/16/21)
- Donald R. Provencher (7/16/21)
Ward 7
Alderman
- Ross Terrio (7/12/21)
- Mary Sullivan Heath (7/22/21)
Board of School Committee
- Christopher Potter (7/13/21)
- Brian D. Cole (7/14/21)
Selectmen
- Mary C. Freitas (7/19/21)
- Claire Roy (7/22/21)
Ward 8
Alderman
- Sean Sargent (7/16/21)
- Tommy Katsiantonis (7/21/21)
- Edward J. Sapienza (7/23/21)
Alderman (Special Election)
- Sean Sargent (7/16/21)
- Tommy Katsiantonis (7/21/21)
- Edward J. Sapienza (7/23/21)
Board of School Committee
- Peter Perich (7/20/21)
Moderator
- Jim Gaudet (7/15/21)
Clerk
- Lisa Johnston (7/15/21)
- Craig Price (7/23/21)
Selectman
- Angel Brisson (7/12/21)
- Macy McNair (7/12/21)
- Betsi Devries (7/22/21)
- Debra Corbeil (7/22/21)
- Peter Bannon (7/23/21)
- Annie Day (7/23/21)
Ward 9
Alderman
- Robert Kliskey (7/12/21)
- Barbara Shaw (7/21/21)
Board of School Committee
- Ben Dion (7/12/21)
- Francis J. Sullivan (7/23/21)
Moderator
- Gloria Pilotte (7/16/21)
Clerk
- Brian McCoy (7/12/21)
Selectman
- Joan Sullivan Flurey (7/12/21)
- Maurice L. Pilotte (7/16/21)
- Candace Moulton (7/23/21)
- Angella M. Chen Shadeed (7/23/21)
Ward 10
Alderman
- Bill Barry (7/12/21)
- Lisa Masse (7/22/21)
Board of School Committee
- Gary Hamer (7/13/21)
- Nicholas Pigeon (7/23/21)
- Timothy Sawyer (7/23/21)
Moderator
- Christopher Messier (7/12/21)
Clerk
- Heidi Hamer (7/12/21)
Selectman
- Jane LaPerle (7/12/21)
- Donna McQuade (7/12/21)
- Marie L. King (7/15/21)
Ward 11
Alderman
- Normand Gamache (7/12/21)
- Andre Rosa (7/12/21)
Board of School Committee
- Brittany LeClear-Ping (7/12/21)
- Nicole Leapley (7/15/21)
Moderator
- Lisa Ouellette (7/16/21)
Clerk
- Yury Polozov (7/23/21)
- Michael Wolf (7/23/21)
Selectmen
- Lucille Forest (7/16/21)
- Pauline Janelle (7/20/21)
- Kara Garavito (7/23/21)
Ward 12
Alderman
- Erin Kelly (7/12/21)
- Jamie Brassill (7/21/21)
- Dick Marston (7/22/21)
Board of School Committee
- Kenneth Roy (7/12/21)
- Carlos Gonzalez (7/22/21)
Moderator
- Verna Perry-Beliveau (7/21/21)
Clerk
- Deborah Coyne (7/21/21)
- Constance M. Roy Czyzowski (7/23/21)
Selectmen
- Carlos Gonzalez (7/22/21)
- James Morin (7/22/21)
- Christine M. Ordzie (7/23/21)
- Bob Backus (7/23/21)
Previous day filing recaps
- Thursday, July 22
- Wednesday, July 21
- Tuesday, July 20
- Monday, July 19
- Friday, July 16
- Thursday, July 15
- Wednesday, July 14
- Tuesday, July 13
- Monday, July 12
