SWAMPSCOTT — Swampscott Select Board Chair Polly Titcomb announced Tuesday that she is running for state representative in the 8th Essex District, which encompasses Marblehead, Swampscott, and parts of Lynn.
Running for state representative means that Titcomb will not seek re-election to the Swampscott Select Board in April.
“After eight years of municipal service, I intimately understand the challenges and opportunities that face our district and the way in which state assistance can tangibly influence them,” said Titcomb.
Titcomb has served for three years on the Swampscott Select Board, five years on the Finance Committee, and has been a Town Meeting member for nine years.
“I am proud of my work on the Swampscott Select Board and to have been part of the initiatives that have created such positive change in Swampscott in recent years,” said Titcomb.
During her time on the board, Titcomb championed the town’s adoption of comprehensive financial guidelines to ensure uniformity in the budget process and provide long-term strategic vision. She was also responsible for implementing Swampscott’s Waste Reduction Program, which has resulted in a significant reduction in solid-waste disposal and an increase in recycling.
During Titcomb’s tenure on the Select Board, the town also approved funding for a new elementary school for its youngest residents and brought renewed focus to the issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She also helped to navigate the town through an unprecedented pandemic.
Professionally, Titcomb is a children and family law attorney. She focuses primarily on her work as public counsel in the field of child-welfare law. She practices almost exclusively in the Lynn and Salem trial courts.
“The combination of my professional and municipal experience makes me uniquely qualified to represent our district on Beacon Hill,” said Titcomb. “Direct experience dealing with relevant, concrete issues is essential for our next state representative. I understand these issues and I have been working toward the solutions. I am ready to work hard for change that will positively impact the daily lives of our residents.
“Public service and advocacy fill my heart and give my life deeper meaning. I hope to bring to Beacon Hill my passion for the issues that matter most to residents of Marblehead, Lynn, and Swampscott,” she said.
Titcomb previously served on the Essex County Commission on the Status of Women for several years, sitting as chair for three of those years; volunteered for the Caucus of Women Legislators, and later for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination; and interned with the Department of Correction and the Executive Office for Administration and Finance while earning her law degree at Northeastern University.
Titcomb lives in Swampscott with her 7-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son, both of whom attend the Swampscott Public Schools. In her free time, Titcomb enjoys the outdoors, hiking with her dog, gardening, boating, camping, and skiing; reading and doing puzzles; and spending time with her family and friends.
