Candidate for Ward 1 Alderman, Elio LoRusso.

By Donald Norton

Candidate for Ward 1 Alderman, Elio LoRusso, who pulled nomination papers this past Friday, is pictured here turning in 140 signatures this past Monday, and just a few hours later the Election Department certified them.

He mentioned to us that many were out getting signatures for him, and he was able to submit 200 plus by the deadline of Wednesday, June 28.

He told The Times that he was asked by many in the ward to run, to bring back how the ward was previously represented, working for everyone on constituency service level.

Many residents urged him on because they either did not know who the alderman was or that the current one never returned phone calls or other pleas from various residents.

It will be difficult, but he feels confident that in the end the residents will choose him because of his previous dedication and service to the ward and to East Somerville as a whole.

LoRusso is quickly forming a committee of dedicated volunteers and residents of Ward 1. He mentioned that he will knock on every door in the ward more than once.

In other races, so far seven Alderman At-Large candidates have submitted their signatures and are certified. One more has his signatures out and is said to be submitting his final papers before the deadline on Wednesday June 28 at 5:00 p.m.

Two candidates so far are vying for mayor, including current Mayor Joe Curtatone and Kenneth Van Buskirk III, who are certified, while Payton Corbett has submitted some signatures but has not certified as of press time.

In the Ward 1 School Committee race, three have been certified: Guillermo Hamlin, Kenneth Salvato and Emily Ackman, while Tracey Pratt has papers outstanding.

In Ward 2 it looks like none of the three who took out papers are certified yet.

Last minute on Friday and Monday, Ann Camara and Susan Nionakis took out papers but have not returned them yet. The incumbent, Dan Futrell, also has not yet certified as well.

There could be primaries in Wards 1 and 2 for local School Committee, while a possible primary in mayor might be in the cards with two certified and one more yet to submit his papers.