As Holyoke assembles perhaps its most diverse field of mayoral candidates ever, there have been reminders of how much progress the city must make. Over the holiday weekend, signs for mayoral candidate Joshua Garcia and city council candidate Israel Rivera were defaced with an anti-Hispanic screed. More than that, the author assigned specific blame to Latinos for the city’s decline.
The Holyoke mayoral contests appears to be galloping toward an eight-person field as the certification process winds down. Christopher Kosinksi, a lesser known figure who had pulled papers early on, has turned in sufficient signatures in recent days. Meanwhile, a former city councilor turned recurring electoral guest star has announced, he, too, is running.
HOLYOKE—Acting Mayor Terence Murphy announced Wednesday he will…not be a candidate for anything. Early this year, Murphy became Holyoke’s acting mayor succeeding former Mayor Alex Morse and Council President Todd McGee who very briefly acted as mayor. That came after Morse’s resignation and a flurry
by Adam Bass Correspondent-Intern The race to be Holyoke’s next mayor now has its sixth candidate. Gloria Caballero-Roca, an educator and academic, announced her candidacy on Facebook Friday. She also filed paperwork with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, and announced that she would
Barely three days after the Holyoke mayoral contest expanded to four, the race appears to have grown again. Blandford Town Administrator Joshua Garcia has pulled papers to run for the city’s top job. His intentions became public Thursday, though as of posting time he has
UPDATED: 4/20/21 1:30PM: To include responses from candidates on Glidden. HOLYOKE—After months of a silent campaign that had included a lead in the fundraising race, William Glidden is formally in. At COVID-compliant backyard gathering here, Glidden former Alex Morse aide, declared his campaign for mayor.
Last week, Beacon Hill approved a new procedure to allow Holyoke to select an acting mayor other than the Council President. On Monday, the City Council made their choice. Ward 2 City Councilor Terence Murphy shall serve as acting mayor through November. Murphy’s appointment was
UPDATED 3/25/21 8:42PM: An earlier version of this post misidentified Councilor Vacon’s ward. She represents Ward 5 not Ward 2. Holyoke famously releases its ballot petitioning papers early in municipal election years. In 2021 one person was not among the scramble for mayor for the
UPDATED 3/18/21 11:13AM: To confirm Mayor Morse had signed the petition and to note that Northampton’s charter allows councilors to pick an alternate acting mayor from among its membership. After an hour of debate, Holyoke city councilors approved a home rule petition Tuesday night to
UPDATED 3/17/21 12:23AM: The City Council approved the petition as the Charter & Rules Committee recommended on Monday. Full story here. There is now a date certain for Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse’s exit from office. At the moment, what happens after is anything but clear.