LYNN — Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger beat his opponent, social worker Virginia Leigh, in the primary race for Essex County Sheriff according to preliminary voting results available at press time.
As of shortly after 10 p.m., voting results gave Coppinger 13,343 votes to 11,903 for Leigh.
With no current Republican challenger slated for the election on Nov. 8, Coppinger will stay sheriff for the next six years.
After spending more than 30 years working in law enforcement and serving as Lynn police chief, Coppinger will continue his law enforcement career.
“I give everybody, all the candidates and their volunteers credit, it was a tough day to stand in the polls today. But there were people doing their jobs, and I’m very much appreciative of all of them,” Coppinger said.
When election results came in Tuesday night, Coppinger sat in at Rolly’s Tavern on the Square with his supporters and campaign staff.
Half an hour before the polls closed, Leigh said that regardless of the election outcome, she was excited that the soul of her campaign, which focused on prison reform, and reducing recidivism rates, made its way into public dialogue.
“We have already celebrated our wins, because last night we celebrated the winner: the transformation of this conversation in the county. So regardless of whether or not I actually get the job, that is such a huge moment for Essex County, you know, for a position that hardly anyone thinks about or even understands. I’m feeling so excited and successful, regardless of the election results,” Leigh said.
Essex County sheriff since January, 2017, Kevin Coppinger faced off in the Democratic primary with Virginia Leigh, a Lynn-based clinical social worker whose campaign is centered on the belief that law enforcement experience is not necessary to serve as sheriff.
Coppinger acknowledged the importance of social work in the sheriff’s job but remained firm during his campaign in his belief that law enforcement experience was necessary.
He feels his tenure as sheriff has been a success, but he has yet to accomplish everything he sought to in the position, including securing a third facility for his Supporting Transitions and Reentry Program.
“I’m not done with what I want to do,” he said.
One of the key responsibilities of the sheriff is to oversee the county jail in Middleton, a responsibility Coppinger said he was uniquely prepared to take on because of the breadth of his law enforcement experience.
“My background in public safety is a huge step up on that. Understanding the root causes of crime, understanding the impact on victims, and understanding how to maintain a safe institution,” he said. Leigh has repeatedly criticized Coppinger for the county’s recidivism rate, which currently stands at 42 percent. She campaigned on a platform of data-driven best practices focusing on rehabilitation, as opposed to incarceration.
