MELROSE — Coolidge Road’s Dorie Withey will join the School Committee after receiving the second-most votes in a four-way contest for three available seats during Tuesday’s 2021 city election.
About 16 percent of the 20,819 voters registered to participate did so this week.
Withey was elected Tuesday along with incumbent School Committee members Jennifer McAndrew and Jennifer Razi-Thomas. John Connelly, a 50-year resident of Melrose, finished out of the running. Connelly, reacting to the disappointing result with class, said, “I enjoyed the contest very much. The three young ladies have it now and will be taking care of business, that is, keeping the schools on the ‘Straight and Narrow.’ It’s a Great City and a Great Country!!”
Withey said, “Thank you, Melrose voters, for giving me the opportunity to serve on the School Committee. It’s both a privilege and honor. I am looking forward to working collaboratively to continue to strengthen our schools.”
DORIE WITHEY
McAndrew, who topped the ticket in the school board race, remarked, “Thank you to the voters of Melrose. It’s a privilege to serve on the School Committee. I look forward to continuing our work — together, as a community — on behalf of all students. I’m thrilled to welcome Dorie Withey to the Committee, and to continue to work with Jen Razi-Thomas and all my colleagues in local government — including John Obremski as he moves from the Committee to the City Council. Thank you to everyone who ran and to their families.”
JENNIFER MCANDREW
Razi-Thomas said, in part, “After a very challenging and interesting four years on the Melrose School Committee, I want to say thanks to the voters for re-electing me. I am humbled and reflective upon this morning after the election. Thank you for your trust and for allowing me to renew my efforts to provide my own type of oversight to our schools while encouraging our district to think holistically about every child in their care. I promise to listen to students and parents as well as educators on what it will take for us to move forward as a community and to further improve our schools.”
JENNIFER RAZI-THOMAS
The race for three School Committee seats was the only contest this election cycle. McAndrew received 2,395 votes, Withey got 2,317 votes and Razi-Thomas received 2,294 votes. Connelly finished well back with 1,184 votes.
Everyone else on Tuesday’s ballot was elected.
In Ward 1, Manjula N. Karamcheti was elected to succeed John Tramontozzi on the City Council; she received 497 votes.
John Obremski will also be new to the City Council. He received 394 votes in Ward 2.
Robert E. Steward was elected in Ward 3 with 356 votes.
Mark D. Garipay got 495 votes and was reelected to serve Ward 4.
Shawn MacMaster will head back to the City Council in Ward 5 after he received 319 votes.
Jennifer G. Grigoraitis was reelected in Ward 6 with 349 votes.
And Ryan L. Wiliams got 320 votes and will serve Ward 7 on the City Council.
The at-large councilor candidates were all incumbents. Councilor-at-Large Christopher Cinella received 2,350 votes, Jack Eccles 2,278, Maya Jamaleddine 2,261 and Leila B. Migliorelli 2,239.
The results as of Wednesday were considered unofficial.
