Primaries needed for mayor, district councilor’s seat

Deadline for taking out nomination papers passes; signs can go up

Primary elections will be held next month in the races for mayor and a district council seat representing North Weymouth.

The fields for this year’s elections were finalized Tuesday, the deadline to return nomination papers to the town clerk.

Six residents will face off in a Sept. 18 primary for mayor, and four will vie in a primary for District 1 town councilor.

Earlier this year, David Madden, Weymouth’s first mayor, decided he would not seek re-election after two terms in office.

Town Clerk Frank Fryer said the election picture doesn’t appear too complicated following the scramble after Madden disclosed his intention not to run. “It looked like a lot of people were going to run,” Fryer said. “We had a lot calling here and asking, ‘What’s the procedure?’ (Candidates) can start putting their signs out as of today.”

Six residents gathered enough signatures to compete in the mayoral primary. They are:

John Cunningham, a Hickory Lane resident and former secretary of the town’s appropriations committee, which reviewed questions that went before town meeting. Cunningham is a retired information systems manager at Boston Edison Co. He was a member of the original committee who studied building a new high school in Weymouth.

Michael Acciola, a Leonard Road resident and former restaurant and limousine business manager. He works part-time in Weymouth’s traffic division, mostly as a school crossing guard. He is a political newcomer.

Robert Montgomery Thomas, a Washington Street resident and retired design-build contractor. He is a former town meeting member and ran for state representative in November.

Sue Kay, a Broad Street resident and councilor-at-large. Kay works as the executive secretary in Braintree, but her position will be dropped when that town elects its first mayor this year. This is Kay’s second run for mayor.

Colin McPherson, a Blake Road resident and former town councilor. McPherson is an accountant and represents Weymouth on the board of South Shore Tri-Town Development Corp. He was a town councilor from 2000 to 2005 and a town meeting member prior to that.

William Candler Jr., a 23-year-old Union Street resident who graduated from Weymouth High School in 2002. A former drama club member, Candler this year received bachelor’s degrees in English and communications from Bridgewater State College.

The mayor’s race is one of two that will require a primary election. The council seat representing North Weymouth is up for grabs after Greg Shanahan revealed he would not seek reelection.

Four candidates will vie in a primary election for the seat: Bluff Road resident John “Gary” Peters, Lindale Avenue resident William Brown Jr., Neck Street resident Victor Papp and Doris Drive resident Anne Hilbert.

It appeared Tuesday evening that the race for councilor-at-large was only one candidate short of needing its own primary.

Nine candidates were certified with a 10th almost a lock. Two at-large seats are opening up, as Jack Carey decided not to run for reelection and Sue Kay is vacating her seat to run for mayor.

Councilors-at-large Patrick O’Connor, Kevin Whitaker and Michael Molisse are running for reelection.

Also in the running are Union Street resident David Wight, Middle Street resident Robert Conlon, Pond Street resident Harvey Welch, Tamarack Trail resident Michael Gallagher, Woodbine Road resident Patricia Pries and Sherrick’s Farm Road resident James Parker.

Parker, a school committee member, said he will stay on the committee if he is not elected to the council. If he is, he will vacate the school committee seat.

“It’s my understanding that the mayor would appoint a replacement (to the school committee),” said Parker, whose term is up in 2009.

Former state Sen. Brian McDonald also returned signatures for the at-large race Tuesday and was expected to qualify, but was not officially certified Tuesday night.

There are five at-large seats on the council. Eleven candidates are needed to hold a primary election. If McDonald is certified, that will make a total of 10.

Also, school committee member Diane Oliverio is stepping down, and Randolph Street resident Gayle Sheehan is the only candidate for that seat. Committee members Sean Guilfoyle and Karen Berry are up for re-election.

Residents must register by Aug. 29 to vote in the Sept. 18 primary election. Polls open at 7 a.m. that day.

Residents must register by Oct. 17 to vote in the general election on Nov. 6.

Jack Encarnacao may be reached at jencarnacao@ledger.com.