UPDATED 1:21PM: To include comments from Naylor and to reflect a correction. Since 2009, some incumbent councilors have lost reelection the same year Springfield voted for mayor. 

On a preliminary basis…their faces here? (WMP&I)

Springfield voters in three wards narrowed a trio of races, setting the ballot for November. The city does not have a mayoral contest this year. However, halfway through the mayoral term it holds elections for all 13 seats City Council seats and six School Committee seats—aside from the seventh seat. That is filled by the mayor. There was no citywide preliminary Tuesday as too few candidates filed for at-large races.

Still, more than two candidates filed in two ward-based Council seats and in one district Committee seat. The incumbents, Ward 4 Councilor Malo Brown, Ward 6 Councilor Victor Davila and District Committee member Christopher Collins—whose District 3 seat represents Wards 6 and 7—all placed first. They will face Willie Naylor, Mary Johnson and Rosa Valentin, respectively, in November.

Although the absence of a mayoral race drags down turnout—turnout Tuesday was 3.4%—midterms in Springfield still draw competition. Indeed, since the reintroduction of ward representation in 2009, some high profile defeats of incumbent councilors have come during elections without the mayor on the ballot.

Although there was no need for a citywide preliminary, challengers have filed to run against the five incumbent at-large councilors and two incumbent at-large Committee members. In addition to those races that required preliminaries, challengers have filed to run against incumbent councilors in Ward 1, Ward 5 and Ward 7 and against two district Committee members.

Springfield has a long history of preliminary contests not reflecting the general election’s outcome in result or margin. Still, there are datapoint to observe.

Springfield’s Ward map. Ward 4 is in shades of red (in the center); along the bottom, Ward 6 is in shades of green and  Ward 7 is in shades of purple…confusing, ain’t it? (via Springfield Election Commission

Both Brown and Davila took office in 2020 after winning open races the previous year. They have faced challengers of varying seriousness in each election cycle since.

Brown has not faced a preliminary since 2019. This makes direct comparisons difficult. Even so, the size of his general election margins have fluctuated. Still, he secured only 44% of 476 votes cast in Ward 4’s preliminary according to unofficial results the Springfield Election Commission posted. Naylor, who ran at-large in 2023 and placed ninth, won just under 33% of the vote. Kenneth Barnett and Beverly Savage split the rest.

In an email received subsequent to this post’s original publication, Naylor thanked voters and praised the other candidates as evidence of the desire for change.

“The low turnout rate is reflective of the apathy in our local politics however it’s time for change. We deserve responsive and proficient leadership,” he said.

Brown did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Although Ward 6 has had its share of competitive races since ward representation returned, this year’s contest has attracted attention.

Davila faced two opponents in 2023 and in the preliminary that year, he won 69 percent of the 1,874 votes cast in Ward 6. On Tuesday, Davila 50% of the 533 votes cast to Johnson’s 38%, per unofficial results. Charles Battle received the remainder.

The incumbent welcomed the result and the opportunity it presents to continue the work at City Hall.

“I am grateful that the residents of Forest Park approved of my work and leadership in the City Council on behalf of the residents,” he texted. “We will continue to work to make Springfield a better place.”

For her part, in a text, Johnson thanked her supporters and volunteers and looked forward to November.

“This result shows what we can build together, and I’m so excited to continue to work hard this fall to reach more Ward 6 residents!” she said.

The final contest of the night was for the School Committee seat for District 3 (Wards 6 and 7). Collins came in strong, if not dominant with nearly 56% of the 996 votes cast according to Election Commission numbers. Valentin secured over 34% of the vote. Stephen Carosello received much of the rest.

Collins has not faced opposition on the ballot since he first joined the school board in 2009. The results bode well for him, but the bigger factor may be the hot Council race in vote-rich Ward 7. Supporters of both Councilor Timothy Allen and challenger Gerry Martin may know Collins better, boosting his showing in November. This despite his residence in Ward 6 while Valentin lives in Ward 7.