The City Election in Somerville is taking place next Tuesday, November 5. All registered voters are encouraged to get out and let their preferences be known by casting their votes for various city officials.

By The Times Staff

Registered voters of Somerville will be heading to the polls next Tuesday, November 5, to cast their votes for several seats in the city’s governmental body.

In contention are candidates for mayor, four City Councilors At-Large, and two members of the School Committee.

Here are our picks for the candidates who we feel would best serve the city in their respective upcoming terms:

Mayor

In our opinion, current Mayor Joseph Curtatone is the clear choice for re-election to his ninth term in office. Since 2004, the mayor has successfully led the city through various fiscal crises, addressed unfair immigration policies, fought for solutions to the overwhelming opioid crisis, and many other serious issues that has confronted the city.

His many uniquely innovative initiatives for community development are unparalleled and demonstrate his inexhaustible capacity for thinking outside the box, while at the same time holding fast to the traditional values that all Somervilliens share.

Considering his many years of service to the city – fifteen years as mayor and eight years as alderman prior to that – and his record of success in office, Mayor Curtatone is unquestionably the best qualified candidate on the ticket. We encourage you to cast your mayoral vote for him.

Councilor At-Large

Our endorsements for Councilor At-Large include two well deserving incumbents and two equally qualified challengers.

William A. White Jr. has served on the Board of Aldermen – later the City Council – in his capacity as an At-Large representative since 1998.

During his tenure he also served as President of the Somerville Board of Alderman and ex-officio member of the Somerville School Committee

Councilor White has been a practicing attorney for 35 years and has served as Law Clerk for a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Councilor White has proven himself to be a dedicated champion for affordability, climate change, transparency in government, equity, and economic development that is appropriate for the community.

His unrivaled knowledge and experience in all civic legislative matters make him a clear choice for re-election to office. We urge you to cast one of your At-Large votes for Bill White.

Mary Jo Rossetti is another hard working and imminently qualified sitting Councilor At-Large who deserves your vote.

Since taking office, Councilor Rossetti has actively served on various committees such as Finance (Vice Chairman), Legislative Matters, Licenses and Permits (Chairman), Rules (Special Committee), Senior Services, and the Somerville High School Building Committee.

She has also focused on special issues that the city has faced such as rodent control and airplane noise abatement. Her tireless efforts in these matters alone have earned her a rightful seat in the City Council horseshoe.

Councilor Rossetti clearly deserves one of your votes for Councilor At-Large.

Having previously served on the Board of Aldermen as Ward 6 Alderman for eleven terms – from 1984 to 2005 – Alderman At-Large, one special election and five terms from 2007 to 2017, Jack Connolly has the distinction of being the longest serving Alderman in Somerville history.

During his recent absence from official public service, Connolly has dedicated his time and efforts to many civic minded activities, including the restoration of the Davis Square area.

We feel that his many years of devoted service to the community, along with his unequalled level of experience, specially qualifies him to be elected Councilor At-Large.

Our fourth choice for endorsement for Councilor At-Large is Kristen Strezo, who we feel will bring a fresh and vital energy to the office.

Strezo has served as co-chair of the Somerville Commission for Women, and is known as a social justice activist and a well-respected journalist.

We think that Krisen Strezo will bring much welcome vitality and enthusiasm to the City Council and we urge you to cast one of your At-Large votes for her.

We would like to note that we would have liked to have given a nod to incumbent Councilor At-Large Stephanie Hirsch, who has done a wonderful job on the Council. Inasmuch as it is likely that she would not serve her full term if re-elected, we felt that it would be best to offer our endorsement to another candidate. We sincerely thank Councilor Hirsch for her service to the city and wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Ward 3 School Committee

Our endorsement for the Ward 3 seat on the School Committee goes to Mary Marshall.

For the last 15 years, she has been involved in the schools as a parent, volunteer, and PTA leader, listening to youth and parents from all backgrounds and advocating for underserved and at-risk students.

Through her activism, she has built many strong relationships. She has never taken a break from listening to the concerns of students, teachers, and parents, and hopes to bring her fighting drive and enthusiasm to represent Ward 3 on Somerville’s School Committee.

We ask you to cast your vote for Mary Marshall for Ward 3 School Committee.

Ward 7 School Committee

In Ward 7, we endorse incumbent Carrie Normand to retain her position on the Somerville School Committee.

For thirteen years she has been active in the Somerville Public Schools as a reading tutor, Special Education Parent Advisory Council member, PTA member, School Council member, classroom volunteer, and enthusiastic supporter of youth sports and the performing arts.

For the past six years, she has represented Ward 7 on the Somerville School Committee. She is proud of she has accomplished so far, and is eager to continue the district’s work on equity, access, and innovation. Her mission is to create an inclusive and equitable learning community for all children across Somerville.

We strongly urge you to vote for Carrie Normand for Ward 7 School Committee member.

Be sure to get out and vote next Tuesday, no matter who you prefer in each race. If you have any questions concerning where and when to vote, go online to https://www.somervillema.gov/departments/elections or call the Election Department at (617) 625-6600 ext. 4200.

Our thanks and best wishes go out to all the candidates. Whether winning or not, they are all giving their best to dutifully serve their community.