Politics

The entry below is being cross posted from Marjorie Arons Barron’s own blog. I was happier than I thought I’d be yesterday morning when Kamala Harris announced her selection of Tim Walz as her running mate. That quiet sense of elation rose to celebration last evening with their first joint…

The entry below is being cross posted from Marjorie Arons Barron’s own blog. It wasn’t long ago that I wrote that I thought there was nothing to be gained by a Trump-Biden debate. Knowing that presidential debates are usually more about style than substance, I said that, if there were to be…

Some personal news today: I have decided not to run for reelection as Northern Middlesex Register of Deeds next year and will retire when my current term ends on January 1, 2025. It has been a privilege to represent you as Register of Deeds, and I sincerely thank everyone who…

Lowell Year in Review: 2022 Here are ten events, local and national, that were significant in Lowell politics in 2022: The first City Council and School Committee elected under the newly adopted hybrid system of local government took office in January. Three councilors were elected city-wide, and eight were elected…

This past week, after a two year hiatus, Americans returned to traditional Fourth of July celebrations. For many, however, recent decisions by the Supreme Court; testimony submitted to the January 6th Committee; and ongoing concerns for the future of democracy, tempered such celebrations. The following piece was written on July…

Editor’s Note: Tooch Van has been a friend for many years and has previously contributed items to this website. A poem he wrote appears in the 2021 edition of The Lowell Review. When I saw Tooch last summer to give him his copy of the Review, he was in the midst of…

The entry below is being cross posted from Marjorie Arons-Barron’s own blog. MA. Representative Ayanna Pressley is filing a resolution to strip Cong. Lauren Boebert of Colorado of her committee assignments as punishment for Boebert’s anti-Muslim slurs against Cong. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. With time ticking down on more serious matters, debating this…

Governor Charlie Baker’s announcement this week that he will not seek reelection to a third term as the governor of the Commonwealth will make the 2022 state election especially interesting. With that in mind, here is a synopsis of each gubernatorial race from 1970 until now. 1970 Governor – Francis…

While the city of Lowell has been the scene of many close elections, perhaps the most notable one is the 1953 city council race that was ultimately decided by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court five months after the election. The combatants in this contest were incumbent councilor Nicholas Contakos and…

November 2, 2021 – Turnout citywide: 12,095 of 67,867 (18%) (winners in bold) Council at Large Vesna Nuon – 6,156 Rita Mercier – 5,875 John Drinkwater – 5,696 Bobby Tugbiyele – 4,103 Deb Belanger – 3,435 Robert Hoey – 2,247 District 1 Daniel Rourke – 1,068 Rodney Elliott – 864…