In Springfield on Tuesday, there will be an eight-way race for five at-large city council seats. All of the incumbents are running and will be facing three challengers, including some familiar names.
In order of appearance on the ballot, the councilors seeking to retain their positions are: Sean Curran, Jose Delgado, Brian Santaniello, Kateri Walsh and Tracye Whitfield.
The three challengers are: Nicole Coakley, Justin Hurst and Juan Latorre. And all three have appeared on the ballot before for the council. Hurst sat on the council for a decade and is a former president of the body. He gave up his seat two years ago to run for mayor but was defeated by Domenic Sarno.
Coakley ran unsuccessfully for city council at-large in 2023 while this is Latorre’s third attempt.
At the conclusion of a candidate forum hosted by several Springfield neighborhood councils in late September, the candidates had an opportunity to make their case to voters on why they should be elected.
Curran, a former state representative, pointed to a desire to continue to move Springfield forward economically.
“I look forward to continuing the work on economic development issues like the new courthouse, a new basketball complex, a potential new food hall, because this city needs jobs,” he said.
Delgado, who picked up his council seat for the first time two years ago, is a former aide to Mayor Sarno and currently works with the state’s Executive Office of Public Safety & Security. He pointed to his experience.
“I’m not talking about stuff that I want to do, I’m talking about stuff that I’m actually doing,” Delgado stated.
Santaniello was not present at this candidate forum. However, in campaign literature and television advertisements, he has expressed a desire to continue to combat crime in the city. He’s also led a push to tackle the problem of disposed needles at city parks.
“We’re going to tackle this, we’re going to win this, and this park will have children once again,” Santaniello said at an event in early October announcing a new program seeking to address the problem.
Walsh has been on the council for more than two decades and said being a city councilor at-large means she has the opportunity to consider the opinions of residents from across Springfield.
"The decisions I make are decisions I think are best for the City of Springfield," she said.
As for Whitfield, who chairs the city council’s civil rights subcommittee, she said public safety is a priority.
“I am actively involved in the community every single week, making sure the neighborhoods, the residents, the families, the children and the seniors stay safe,” she said.
As for the challengers, two of them, Coakley and Latorre expressed the need for new blood on the council.
Coakley, a community activist, said she wants to continue that work right into City Hall.
“I will continue being the voice we need at the table and that new voice. I can tell you what I’ve done, what I’m doing and what I’ll continue to do,” she said.
Latorre, who works in the telecommunications industry, said different voices are needed to keep Springfield moving forward.
“In order for Springfield to move forward and reach its new potential, a new generation of leaders has to serve on the city council,” Latorre said.
As for Hurst, who is seeking to regain a city council seat after a two-year absence, he pointed to his previous experience.
“I will continue to work for you all. I’ll continue to be a voice and an advocate and speak up on the tough issues that matter most to residents,” Hurst said.
During Hurst’s run for mayor in 2023, he was dogged by allegations his campaign offered to pay for votes during the city’s early voting period. This is something he’s continued to deny. While the matter had been under investigation at some point, no resolution, one way or the other, has been made public.
This is a mid-term election in Springfield, meaning Mayor Domenic Sarno is not on the ballot as he is in the second year of his latest four-year term. That is something that could hinder turnout.
City Clerk Gladys Oyola-Lopez said she expects turnout to be around 10%, but has been seeing some interest during early voting, with about 100 people a day coming in to cast ballots ahead of Tuesday’s election.
The polls on Tuesday will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.