With the Primary Election for the District 1 City Council seat set for next Tuesday (September 26) the three candidates have been sprinting to the finish line.
The candidates include (in alphabetic order) Lydia Edwards, Margaret Farmer and Stephen Passacantilli.
In the final week of the election East Boston’s Edwards and Farmer and the North End’s Passacantilli have been knocking doors, phone banking, holding standouts of street corners throughout the district and attending candidates’ forums.
At recent forums in Eastie, when asked how they would stay in tune with the issues affecting the District and would prioritize what needs attention first and foremost, Passacantilli, who worked on constituent services for outgoing Councilor Sal LaMattina, said “When a real issue comes up the phone in the office will be ringing off the hook, I was very hands on in the district during my time in Councilor LaMattina’s office. It’s pretty manageable to figure out what it going on in each neighborhood and prioritize the issues. I’ve been out door knocking and listening to residents so I hear everyday what is important to people so I think being a candidate can seamlessly roll over to your function as a city councilor.”
Edwards said she would hire folks from the community that make up and represent each unique neighborhood in the district.
“I will be a hands on city councilor and I will be out there attending meetings, initiating conversations with residents and being accessible,” she said. “I want to be able to empower residents to organize and take issues to the next level so they get solved.” Farmer said there is a technological aspect she would hope to implement through social media that keeps her in tune with residents but plans to be ‘physically present’ throughout the community.