Steve Dibble Joins Salem Special Election Mayor's Race

SALEM, MA — Former Salem city councilor and 2021 mayoral candidate Steve Dibble is the fourth declared candidate for the city's special mayoral election to replace Lt. Gov.-elect Kim Driscoll.

Dibble was the last to challenge Driscoll in her quest for a fifth term as Salem mayor in 2021 before she announced her bid for the State House two months later. She will step down from the top office in the Witch City on Wednesday before her inauguration as lieutenant governor the next day.

Dibble, who received about 41 percent of the vote when he challenged Driscoll, joins a field that includes former Salem Mayor Neil Harrington, Chief of Staff Dominick Pangallo and businessman Skip Bensley.

A special election primary if three or more candidates qualify for the ballot is proposed for March 28 with a final election held to fill the vacancy proposed for May 16.

"After long and thoughtful consideration, seeking advice from members of my family and friends, I have decided to announce my candidacy to become the next mayor of Salem," Dibble said in a statement to Patch declaring his candidacy. "I have spent the last 40 years volunteering, working, and advocating for the people of this community and for this city. I ask for your continued trust in me to help guide us into the future."

Dibble's campaign against Driscoll was contentious at times as he challenged the level of development allowed to take place in the city during her first four terms, as well as her influence on city boards and some of Salem's more heavy-handed COVID-19 policies that she advocated for — including her stated support, at the time, for a vaccine mandate for Salem Public Schools students.

"Kim Driscoll and I have been friends for 35 years and as mayor, she has done countless positive things for Salem," he said. "After 16 years, I had felt she had been mayor for long enough and was failing to listen to the needs of many Salem residents. She will always be my friend and a leader whom I respect. I congratulate her, and we all hope for and expect good things from her as our lieutenant governor.

"While the people, culture, and spirit of Salem are as strong as ever, Salem needs a slight change."

Dibble said he is running for mayor to apply "critical thinking and common sense to everything set forth in this city."

Creating safer bike lanes that do not negatively impact traffic flow and parking, helping students of the city and its most vulnerable residents recover from the coronavirus health crisis, affordable housing, tax rates, homelessness, and mental health and addiction are among his other stated priorities as a mayoral candidate.

"We have amazing teachers that need to be supported so they can help our children get caught up due to education losses during COVID," he said. "We need to support our public servants who keep our city safe. We need to stop wasteful spending to help keep our taxes and rents down.

"We need to protect our environment. We need to acknowledge the struggles of our marginalized groups. We need to listen to our residents and apply more commonsense where needed."

Dibble said he would be a mayor who will "listen to Salem's residents, and apply better long-term and well-thought-out reasoning to all policy decisions."

"We need responsible growth, to balance our checkbook, in order to keep Salem the attractive location it is for tourism, businesses, and new and old residents alike," he said.

He cited his six years on the city council and 14 years as a city planner as the experience needed to relate to residents' concerns and work in their best interest as mayor.

"A continuation of the status quo cannot continue and going backward is not an option either," he said. "Salem is a special place. People want to visit Salem, residents want to stay, and others want to move here.

"We must protect what makes Salem so unique, including Salem's historical significance, our amazing waterfront, and the diverse populations and neighborhoods. We need to balance creating new truly affordable housing and new higher-paying businesses.

"I promise to be a positive change for our city, to do what is right by citizens first, to always listen and be honest, to be open to all thoughts and possibilities, and lastly, I will always be available to listen and discuss your concerns and ideas."

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)