November 9, 2017 - Our Revolution Somerville’s Endorsed Candidates Sweep into Office

For three months, Our Revolution Somerville has campaigned to elect its slate of endorsed candidates to the Board of Aldermen. On November 7, it succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations, sweeping into office Matt McLaughlin (Ward 1), JT Scott (Ward 2), Ben Ewen-Campen (Ward 3), Jesse Clingan (Ward 4), Mark Niedergang (Ward 5), Lance Davis (Ward 6), Will Mbah (At-Large), Mary Jo Rossetti (At-Large), and Bill White (At-Large), along with School Committee candidates Lee Erica Palmer (Ward 3), Laura J. Pitone (Ward 5), and Carrie Normand (Ward 7).

Three of the candidates (Scott, Ewen-Campen, and Mbah) were first-time challengers who defeated incumbents. Two other candidates (McLaughlin and Clingan) defeated opponents backed by Mayor Joe Curtatone.

On July 30, Our Revolution Somerville’s membership voted at a citywide meeting to endorse a slate of candidates. Its endorsement was followed by an ambitious organizing plan to educate voters. Members knocked on over 3,500 residents’ doors to identify supporters and ask them to commit to vote for the slate. Volunteers also distributed nearly 3,000 slate cards at community events, farmers markets and other gatherings.

Our Revolution also had over 1,000 phone conversations and sent texts to more than 3,600 people to help get out the vote for its endorsed slate of candidates. On election eve, the group put slate cards on more than 2,000 doors as a final reminder to vote.

“What was unprecedented for Somerville is that our campaign knit together twelve independent politicians into a coherent slate,” said Penelope Jennewein, a volunteer Somerville organizer who lives in Ward 2. “The challenge now will be to build on our successful campaign by winning measurable victories at the municipal level. By keeping the community fully engaged, we can ensure that our newly elected officials fight for real progressive change.”

The campaign is only the beginning of the group’s effort to energize and engage residents to make city government more responsive to the needs of the community rather than for-profit interests and big campaign donors.

“At our next city-wide organizing meeting, our issue committees will meet to begin setting a new Somerville municipal agenda,” said Jon Leonard, a volunteer organizer from Ward 1. Meetings and membership in Our Revolution Somerville are open to all residents.