Few Early Voters for Dist. 49 Special Election Primary

Less than 200 of the 7,724 eligible voters in the four Dist. 49 Precincts had showed at polls as of 10 a.m. for the primary that will effectively decide who will fill former Rep. Lisa Baldelli-Hunt's unfinished term.

The special election brewing to fill the Dist. 49 seat vacated by new Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt pits three candidates against each other today: Douglas T. Brown, Mark L. Chenot and Michael A. Morin — all Democrats. Whoever wins today will run unopposed in the Special Election Feb. 25.

Morin, who ran against Baldelli-Hunt last year, said in a release that he has a commitment from the new Mayor to have a good working relationship. He's a longtime firefighter and Woonsocket Fire Marshal.

Douglas Brown, of 324 Harris Ave., is chairman of the Redevelopment Agency, an appointee of former Mayor Leo Fontaine. He has also worked as president of Keough Kirby Associates, Inc., an insurance agency, since 1988, according to a Valley Breeze article. 

Chenot, of 400 Gaskill St., is a Physical Therapist at Rhode Island Hospital. He said he's been thinking about running for office and decided to go for the Dist. 49 seat when it opened. This is his first run at an elected office. "I'm a rookie," Chenot said. He said he'd like to help the community as a representative.