Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Peabody's new state representative for the 12th Essex District, Leah Cole, says she will be rolling out office hours for constituents in the next few weeks.
State Representative-Elect Leah Cole's campaign released a statement today, saying her hard won victory Tuesday at the polls was achieved through knocking on doors across Peabody and making connections with voters. That's all part of her pledge to be a "voice of the people." “Leah knocked on doors and brought her message of fiscal [responsibility], stopping wasteful spending and sending a voice of the people to the State House. I know [she] will be a fierce advocate for the city of Peabody,” said campaign manager Ryan Chamberland. “Our message was about the hard working people of Peabody. They want common sense leadership at the State House," Cole said. "I am a nurse not a politician, and I will wake up every day with the working class …
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Democrat Beverley Griffin Dunne finished a close second to Republican Leah Cole, losing by just 73 votes.
The entire room at the Ancient Order of Hibernians Hall was momentarily in shock at the numbers staring back at them on the white board Tuesday night -- Republican political newcomer Leah Cole, considered a longshot candidate for much of the race, had apparently managed to win. The City Clerk's office finally confirmed the results shortly before 9 p.m. -- Cole had defeated Democrat Beverley Griffin Dunne by 73 votes (1,878 to 1,805) and independent candidate Dave Gravel took third with 1,655 votes. Dunne said 73 votes wasn't enough of a margin for her to justify asking for a recount. According to the City Clerk's office, total voter turnout was 20 percent Tuesday. Dunne, 55, a local attorney, School Committee member and Peabody native, …
42.526806
-70.929904
Ancient Order of Hibernians
58 Lowell St, Peabody, MA
/articles/dunne-disappointed-says-will-be-back-in-2014
774487
/locations/9155815
Monday, March 4, 2013
Here's your local guide to the State Representative primary election on March 5.
Peabody holds its special election primary Tuesday to narrow down the field of candidates in the race for State Representative. In the 12th Essex District, which represents Ward 1 through 4 and Precinct 1 and 3 in Ward 5, there are four candidates vying for the seat left open by the death of Joyce Spiliotis last year, but only three will appear on two party ballots Tuesday. Republicans Greg Bunn and Leah Cole square off to determine who goes on to the April 2 final, while Beverley Griffin Dunne is on the Democratic ballot despite being unchallenged by a party opponent since former city councilor Jim Moutsoulas dropped out of the race. Dave Gravel, who is unenrolled, does not appear on the primary ballot because it is only for political …
42.515894
-70.971786
Aviv Centers for Living
240 Lynnfield St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-special-election-primary
774196
/locations/8944912
42.50865
-70.95014
Saint Ann's
136 Lynn St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-special-election-primary
774220
/locations/8944913
42.545921
-70.994554
Kiley Brothers Memorial School
21 Johnson St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-special-election-primary
775221
/locations/8944915
42.5344
-70.919019
50 Walsh Ave, Peabody, MA
Our Lady of Fatima
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-special-election-primary
/locations/8944916
42.533765
-70.927819
15a Wilson Ter, Peabody, MA
Wilson Terrace Rec Hall
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-special-election-primary
/locations/8944917
42.519322
-70.932595
William A. Welch Sr. Elementary School
50 Swampscott Ave, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-special-election-primary
1733435
/locations/8944918
42.529729
-70.9355
J. Henry Higgins Middle School
1 King St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-special-election-primary
1733441
/locations/8944919
42.541929
-70.975004
Peabody Veterans Memorial High School
485 Lowell St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-special-election-primary
1733457
/locations/8944920
42.539672
-71.003018
John E. McCarthy Memorial School
76 Lake St, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-special-election-primary
1756661
/locations/8944921
42.514418
-70.948977
South Memorial School
16 Maple Street Ext, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-special-election-primary
1756680
/locations/8944922
42.552536
-70.967071
Brooksby Village
100 Brooksby Village Dr, Peabody, MA
/articles/who-s-who-and-where-to-vote-in-special-election-primary
2027527
/locations/8944914
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Campaign finance reports show Dave Gravel raising the most money from supporters since Jan. 1 out of the four candidates running for State Representative in Peabody.
27,377 -- that's the number of voters eligible to vote Tuesday, March 5 in a special primary election for Peabody's next state representative. The final election will then be held April 2. City Clerk Tim Spanos only expects to see a 15 percent turnout Tuesday, which would match the turnout in last September's state primary in a high-stakes local Senate race. Spanos attributes the low percentage, in part, to only having two Republicans and one Democrat on the ballot. The Peabody GOP is close to 10 percent of voters. Here's a further breakdown on the number of voters in the 12th Essex District, which comprises Ward 1 through 4 and Precinct 1 and 3 in Ward 5: Here's another number -- $15,545. That's how much money Dave Gravel has raised …
Monday, February 25, 2013
Voters will have two ballots to choose from in the March 5 primary for State Rep in Peabody -- Republican and Democrat. GOP members Greg Bunn and Leah Cole square off while Democrat Beverley Griffin Dunne runs unopposed until the final special election.
If City Clerk Tim Spanos' prediction holds true, the turnout will be light March 5 for the primary in a special election for Peabody's next state representative and successor to the late Joyce Spiliotis. Spanos said it's still difficult to forecast with great certainty at this point, but he doesn't anticipate anymore activity at the polls than in September's state primary -- that was 15 percent and Spanos is rarely wrong. By the numbers, that's about 5,380 voters of the 35,855 registered in Peabody as of last November's election. Historically, turnout for state primaries is often low and local election officials said at the time both the earlier date and the fact that Sept. 6 was a Thursday likely threw some regular voters off schedule. …
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Patch teamed up with PATV recently on a special series of interviews with the candidates running to become Peabody's next state representative.
Peabody Patch and Peabody Access TV teamed up recently to interview the candidates for State Representative in the upcoming special election this spring. You can watch the special program, hosted by Patch Editor John Castelluccio, this weekend on Channel 99. The candidates address such topics as the governor's recent budget proposal and tax plan, local aid, improving the local economy, major city projects and slot parlors and legalized gambling. The show is scheduled to air Feb. 16 at 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. and again Feb. 17 at 4 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. You can also watch it directly online here. PATV plans to continue running the special in the weeks leading up to the Primary Election on March 5. The candidates in the primary will be Republicans …
42.521394
-70.931976
Peabody Access Telecommunications
119r Foster St, Peabody, MA
/articles/meet-the-candidates-for-peabody-state-rep
775024
/locations/8822597
Thursday, February 7, 2013
The deadline is Feb. 13 to register to vote, change political party status or your voter address in time for the Peabody State Representative primary in March.
There's just under a month left until the primary in the race to elect a new state representative for Peabody. A special election was called in January in the wake of Joyce Spiliotis' death. The highlight for March 5 will be who emerges victorious on the Republican ballot -- Greg Bunn or Leah Cole -- and goes on to face Democrat Beverley Griffin Dunne and independent candidate Dave Gravel on April 2. The City Clerk's office is also reminding voters they have until Feb. 13 at 8 p.m. to stop by the clerk's office to register to vote in the primary, change political party status or their voter address. Voters who are registered from this past fall's election are all set. Absentee ballots are now available at the clerk's office for voters who …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Mayor Ted Bettencourt had asked the governor to give him the authority to make a non-political interim appointment to Peabody's vacant seat in the Mass. House of Representatives.
That's a negative on the governor appointing or giving authority to appoint an interim state representative for Peabody to fill the seat left vacant with the death of Joyce Spiliotis. Gov. Deval Patrick's office says there is no constitutional provision in Massachusetts' law for Patrick to do so, reports the Salem News. A specific law does exist, however, to deal with U.S. Senate vacancies and Patrick acted under that provision last week to appoint William Cowan while a special election gets underway. Cowan will step down once a winner is elected. In this case, Mayor Ted Bettencourt had asked for a similar temporary appointment to the vacant seat for the 12th Essex District until that special election is decided on April 2. He said he was …
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Leah Cole, a local nurse, is one of two Republicans running for State Representative in Peabody.
Peabody Republican Leah Cole may be the youngest and more politically inexperienced candidate by far in this race, but that doesn't mean she hasn't staked out her positions on major hot-button issues. Cole, 24 and a Licensed Practical Nurse, formally announced her candidacy for State Representative on Wednesday, saying she's in this race for working class families and to give others the same chance to pursue the "American Dream" she's had. She comes off strongly against recent proposed tax increases by Gov. Deval Patrick and what she views as detrimental regulation of the healthcare field. “My parents always instilled in me the importance of living within one’s means and being fiscally and morally responsible," Cole said. "My vision for …
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Former city councilor says due to an oversight on his nomination papers, he was unable to get on ballot and has withdrawn from the special election.
Certainly an odd turn for the race. Peabody Democrat Jim Moutsoulas withdrew from the race for State Representative Saturday, just days after filing his nomination papers with election officials. That means there won't be a Democratic Primary after all in March, leaving School Committee member Beverley Griffin Dunne with independent candidate and city councilor Dave Gravel to await the winner of the Republican contest between Greg Bunn and Leah Cole. Moutsoulas says the Secretary of State's office discovered an oversight in his papers that prevented him from getting on the ballot. That oversight was neglecting to write in his party affiliation, according to Moutsoulas. His campaign released a statement Saturday, explaining the gaffe. …
Kathleen
9:35 pm on Sunday, April 7, 2013
Debbie, you really are delusional...Obviously you have great respect for the late Ms. Spiliotis which is admirable, but you really are out of touch with reality to think that all politicians are going to be like Joyce was. She was obviously the exception to the rule. Why would you just assume that Dave or Beverly would have represented us full-time? Just because they are Dems? Or an Independent … more ›