Early poll shows half of voters undecided, Wu with highest favorability
Five of the six declared candidates for Mayor of Boston took out their Nomination Papers on the first day of their availability, April 13, with only Acting Mayor Kim Janey still not yet taking papers.
An inquiry to her campaign late on Tuesday was not returned.
The Boston Election Department showed that 11 people had taken out papers for the mayoral campaign, including the declared candidates John Barros, Councilor Andrea Campbell, Councilor AnnissaEssaibi George, State Rep. Jon Santiago, and Councilor Michelle Wu.
Janey is the only other major candidate that has declared, but the only one as of Wednesday morning not to take out papers.
Others taking out papers included Michael Bianchi of Brighton; Robert Cappucci of East Boston; Joao DePina of Dorchester; Roy Owens Sr. of Roxbury; Richard Spagnuolo of the North End; and Patrick Williams of Dorchester.
Candidates for mayor and City Council have until May 11 to get their Nomination Papers, though many do it on the very first day, and must file them by the end of business on May 18.
Nomination Papers came just as a new voter poll from WBUR, the Dorchester Reporter and the Boston Foundation came out with interesting results – most notably that around 46 percent of voters were undecided about mayor.
Of all the candidates, Councilor Michelle Wu had a 47 percent favorability rate, but also the highest unfavourability rate of 11 percent. Only 21 percent had never heard of her before. Acting Mayor Kim Janey registered at 34 percent favorability, the second highest, and 5 percent unfavorable – with 35 percent having not heard of her before. Councilor AnnissaEssaibi George landed in third place virtually tied in all metrics with Councilor Andrea Campbell. Essaibi George had a 27 percent favorability and Campbell had 26 percent. Some 44 percent had never heard of Essaibi George and 42 percent hadn’t heard of Campbell.
Meanwhile, State Rep. Jon Santiago found himself at the bottom of the list with a 13 percent favorability rank, and 57 percent not know who he was. John Barros was ahead of him with 17 percent favorability, and 50 percent not knowing him.
Mayoral candidates must get 3,000 signatures of registered voters in Boston. At-large councilors must get 1,500 signatures and a District Councilor must get 200 signatures.
For South End, Back Bay and Fenway, Councilors Ed Flynn and Kenzie Bok had taken out papers already and no one else had taken out papers in the districts as of yet.
However, by Wednesday morning she had not taken out her Nomination Papers, but was expected to do so in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Richard Martell of the North End did take out Nomination Papers for a potential run.
The at-large Council race will have a full slate, with two seats vacated due to Wu and Essaibi George running for mayor.
Councilors Michael Flaherty and Julie Mejia are expected to run for re-election, but only Mejia had taken out papers on the first day.
Already, declared candidates Kelly Bates of Hyde Park; Alexander Gray of Jamaica Plain; RuthzeeLouijeune of Hyde Park; and Erin Murphy of Dorchester had taken out papers.
They were joined by new names in James Colimon of Roslindale; DomingosDaRosa of Hyde Park; Raymond Vasquez of Dorchester; Althea Garrison of Dorchester; Bridget Nee-Walsh of South Boston; Roy Owens Sr. of Roxbury; Donnie Palmer of Brighton; Nick Vance of Hyde Park; ad Patrick Williams of Dorchester.