Nine Candidates Vying For Miceli's Seat

WILMINGTON, MA -- There will be a primary races in the Republican and Democratic parties to succeed state Rep. James Miceli (D-Wilmington), whose April 21 death had candidates scurrying over the course of the past week to make decisions to run and collect signatures on nomination papers. Miceli had been the state representative for Wilmington and Tewksbury since 1977, and candidates have been trying to balance being respectful while still making Tuesday's 5 pm deadline to return nomination papers.

In the end, nine candidates -- six Democrats, two Republicans and an Independent -- returned nomination papers, according to Tewksbury Town Clerk Denise Graffeo and Wilmington Town Clerk Sharon George.

Republican Pina Prinzivalli was already on the ballot after announcing her candidacy late last year. Prinzivalli had suspended her campaign after Miceli's death, but said Tuesday she had resumed campaigning.

"Suspending the campaign was the right thing to do," Prinzivalli said in a statement. "I received a lot of messages and positive feedback and thank you’s for being respectful during a difficult time for the community. Even more so when new candidates started pulling papers and collecting signatures within 48 hours of Mr. Miceli’s death."

The signatures still need to be certified by the town clerk's offices in Tewksbury and Wilmington and returned to the Secretary of State's office by May 29. But assuming the signatures hold up, there will be contested Republican and Democratic primaries for the seat on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. The winners of those races would square off, along with independent candidates, in the general election on November 6.

Here's a break down of who will be and who won't be asking for your vote in the coming months:

Who's Already On The Ballot

• Pina Prinzivalli (R-Tewksbury)

Who Submitted Papers By Tuesday's Deadline

• Tewksbury Finance Committee member Erin Buckley (R-Tewksbury)
• Former Everett City Councilor Catherine Gover (D-Wilmington)
• Wilmington Democratic Town Committee Chair Erika Johnson (D-Wilmington)
• Tewksbury Selectman Mark Kratman (D-Tewksbury)
• Wilmington Selectman Michael McCoy (D-Wilmington)
• Shawsheen Tech School Committee member Patricia Meuse (I-Tewksbury)
• Former Wilmington Selectwoman & School Committee member Judy O’Connell (D-Wilmington)
• Jim Miceli’s Chief of Staff Dave Robertson (D-Tewksbury)

Who's Out

• Noah Doucot (I-Tewksbury) took out nomination papers in February but did not return them by Tuesday's deadline.
• Tewksbury Board of Health member George Ferdinand (D-Tewksbury) said he was not running a day after he took out nomination papers and has thrown his support behind Robertson.
• Daniel Murphy (D-Wilmington) took out but did not return nomination papers.
• Town Moderator Rob Peterson (D-Wilmington) had taken out nomination papers but has decided not to run.

Are you running to represent Tewksbury and Wilmington in the state legislature? Contact Dave Copeland at dave.copeland@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate's profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.

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Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).