Watertown News (https://www.watertownmanews.com/tag/elections/page/2/)
The candidates on the ballot for the Preliminary Election will be at the District B Candidates Forum hosted by Watertown News. The event will be at the Watertown Free Public Library on Wednesday, Sept. 2 from 7-8:30 p.m. Also look for it on Watertown Cable. The event is open to the public, and people can submit their questions to the candidates. The four candidates will be on the ballot for the Sept.
More candidates have been officially certified to appear on the Nov. 3 Watertown Town Election ballot, and there will be a preliminary election this fall. Here is what the ballot would look like if the election was Wednesday, as of noon. (I = incumbent). Town Council President
Mark Sideris (I)
Town Councilor At Large (Four Seats)
Patryce Gergopoulos
Michael Dattoli
Aaron Dushku (I)
Susan Falkoff (I)
Tony Palomba (I)
District A Councilor
Angeline Kounelis (I)
Bob Erickson
District B Councilor
Kevin McDonald
Lisa Feltner
Patricia Van Dinter
District C Councilor
Vincent Piccirilli (I)
District D Councilor
Kenneth Woodland (I)
Bob McCarthy
School Committee (Three Seats)
Eileen Hsu-Balzer (I)
Candace Miller
Kendra Foley
Library Trustee (Three Seats)
Michael Hanlon (I)
Sheppard Ferguson
A number of incumbents have taken out papers to run, but have yet to get their signatures certified.
Watertown’s Warren Tolman got a major endorsement in his race for Attorney General when Gov. Deval Patrick said Tolman has his vote. Tolman has received a number of endorsements, but none bigger than the state’s top elected official. “I am endorsing Warren because I know from his campaign and from a deep personal relationship with him that he will be an activist AG, and I am excited about that,” Patrick said. “From gun safety to health care costs to consumer protection and civil rights, I want an AG who will not only enforce the law effectively, but also use the influence of the office strategically to improve the lives and prospects of Massachusetts people and small businesses. Warren Tolman will be that kind of leader.”
Tolman thanked the governor for his support. “I am so grateful, and so honored, to have the support of Governor Deval Patrick,” Tolman said.
To the Editor:
I support Watertown resident Warren Tolman for Attorney General in the Democratic Primary on September 9. Warren brings practical experience as an independent advocate for policies to protect citizens, a commitment to enforce the law with professionalism, and the ability to work in the community to address the underlying conditions contributing to many law enforcement problems.
As Attorney General, Warren will protect civil rights so that all have the ability to participate fully in the economic and civic life of the state. For example, Warren will work to ensure that no one’s access to education is compromised by bullying or sexual assault.
A sponsor of the original Buffer Zone law, Warren will vigorously enforce the state’s new law protecting the rights of women seeking care at reproductive health clinics. Warren believes that while people should be held accountable for their crimes, the problems of drug abuse and mental illness need to be addressed by educating the public, increasing the capacity of treatment facilities so that services are available for all who need them, and making the legal requirement of parity for mental health care services a reality. Warren’s proposal to require manufacturers to make guns less dangerous recognizes that while law enforcement must work to get existing weapons off the streets, long term solutions require harnessing technology to free communities of gun violence. Warren’s record of public service demonstrates that he will fulfill his commitment to using the law along with other necessary tools to protect rights and solve problems. He deserves your vote. Sincerely,
Renée M. Landers
To the Editor:I am a physician trained in pediatrics, a father of a young son and a concerned resident of Watertown. I am writing to urge your readers to support Warren Tolman for attorney general because he supports common-sense gun reform. The recent untimely death of James Brady, killed many years later by an assassin’s bullet, makes the subject of gun reform more poignant than ever.According to the CDC, between 1999 and 2010, 4,698 children aged 1-14 senselessly died by gunfire, and another 7,500 children are hospitalized each year for the same reason.Warren knows that a solution to many of these deaths and injuries is literally at our fingertips. Technology currently exists that would allow fingerprint readers to unlock the firing mechanism of guns. If such a system were mandated, no child would ever be able to have an accident with a smart gun that did not belong to him or her.
Watertown’s Warren Tolman received an endorsement from a familiar face to town residents – Middlesex Sheriff and former State Representative Peter Koutoujian. On Thursday, Koutoujian announced his support for Tolman, pointing to his proven leadership and his vow to take on the National Rifle Association and push for fingerprint trigger locks. “As Sheriff, I see every day the importance of protecting our communities from gun violence,” Koutoujian said. “As the only candidate who will implement fingerprint trigger locks, Warren Tolman is the best choice for making our neighborhoods safer and moving the Commonwealth forward. Smart gun technology will save lives, and I’m supporting Warren Tolman for Attorney General because he will make it a reality.”