LYNN — The polls will open at 7 a.m. here, Medford and Peabody today as preliminary elections are held to narrow the field.
But there are exceptions. The race for city councilor-at-large in Lynn has eight candidates seeking four seats. As a result, all the hopefuls, including three incumbents, will be on the Nov. 7 final ballot.
The choices are Buzzy Barton, Hong Net, Brian LaPierre, Brian Field, Jaime Figueroa, Richard Ford, John Ladd, and Taso Nikolakopoulos.
The same is true for school committee. There are six seats and 10 candidates. So they all will go on to the final.
Candidates seeking the post include Donna Coppola, John Ford, Lorraine Gately, Jared Nicholson, Cherish Casey, Brian Castellanos, Elizabeth Rosario Gervacio, Natasha Megie-Maddrey, Jessica Murphy, and Michael Satterwhite.
It’s a different story in the fight for Ward 2 councilor. Four candidates are seeking the open seat. Two will be eliminated. Voters have a choice of Christopher Magrane, Peter Grocki, Richard Starbard, and Gina O’Toole.
There are a few council races worth watching. In Ward 1 incumbent Wayne Lozzi is being challenged by William O’Shea III.
In Ward 3 City Council President Darren Cyr is facing George Meimeteas, and Marven Hyppolite is taking on Ward 5 City Councilor Dianna Chakoutis for a second time.
The contest between Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy and Sen. Thomas McGee (D-Lynn) will provide some idea about who has the momentum going into the fall.
In Medford, 15 City Council candidates will be reduced by one for the final.
The candidates include Rick Caraviello, Fred Dello Russo, Jr., John Falco, Adam Knight, Breanna Lungo-Koehn, Michael Marks, George Scarpelli, Natalie Breen, Robert Cappucci, Andrew Castagnetti, Ann Marie Cugno, Cheryl Rodriguez, George Sacco, Remo Scarfo, and Curtis Tuden.
Medford Mayor Stephanie M. Burke and challenger David McKillop will appear on the ballot in a race that will be decided in November.
For Medford School Committee, five incumbents are facing five challengers. The candidates are Erin DeBenedetto, Kathy Kreatz, Mea Mustone, Robert E. Skerry Jr., Paulette Van der Kloot, Kathleen Cullinane, Angela Moore, Alexis Rodriquez, Michael Ruggiero and Paul Ruseau.
In Peabody’s Ward 6, Mark O’Neill, Mike Geomelos, and Margaret Tierney are hoping to replace outgoing Councilor Barry Sinewitz. The top two vote-getters will move on to the November general election.
