BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Boston City Council voted Wednesday to skip the upcoming special election for the city's next mayor.
If the City were to do things by the book, Boston could have had four elections between now and November; a primary and a special election, which would depend on when Mayor Walsh vacates the office if he is confirmed as U.S. Labor Secretary. Then, there would be a regular primary and a regular mayoral election this fall.
During a pandemic and an economic crisis, that seemed unwise to many. So last month, City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo filed a home-rule petition to bypass the special election, which would mean residents wait until the fall election to vote for the next Mayor of Boston.
Read More: City Councilor Arroyo Files Petition To Bypass Mayoral Special Election
Everyone on the City Council voted yes on the home-rule petition Wednesday, except Annissa Essaibi George, who is running for mayor, and voted 'present.'
Councilor Lydia Edwards, who is also running for mayor and voted to skip the special election, said a vast majority of Bostonians seem to want the move.
"I can honestly say 99.99 percent of the people who testified wanted to dispense with the special election," Edwards said.
The home-rule petition must still be approved by the state legislature.
WBZ NewsRadio's Karyn Regal reports:
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Written by Brit Smith
(Photo: Mario Jarjour/WBZ NewsRadio)