Published in the August 28, 2015 edition

MELROSE — With the September 11 deadline approaching to obtain nomination papers for seats up for election November 3, recent political action revolved around Melrose’s educational system.

There are three four-year positions up for reelection on the School Committee. Margaret ER Driscoll of Boston Rock Road is the first incumbent to take out nomination papers for reelection, doing so August 12. She joins Tappan Street’s Jaime McAllister-Grande, Lizbeth DeSelm of South High Street and Edward J. O’Connell of Cleveland Street at this point in the school board race. O’Connell took out nomination papers August 24, McAllister-Grande pulled papers May 26 and DeSelm took out papers July 2.

There are currently four candidates for the four at-large alderman seats to be decided at the Nov. 3 city election. They are Mike Zwirko, incumbents Mary Beth McAteer Margolis and Monica Medeiros, and School Street’s Jean-Daniel LaRock. Alderman-at-Large Jaclyn Lavender Bird decided not to run again, and longtime incumbent Donald L. Conn had yet to pull papers as of our Wednesday deadline.

Those wishing to run for the at-large, two-year seats up for election on the Board of Aldermen and the three four-year positions on the School Committee need to get 120 signatures of registered Melrose voters on their nomination papers.

Those wishing to run for ward alderman need 20 certified signatures to get on the November ballot.

Nomination papers may be obtained only by the candidate or a person presenting a signed authorization for a candidate. Prior to obtaining nomination papers, each candidate must file with the Election Office a statement containing his/her name and address and the office for which he/she intends to run.

As of the middle of this week, the 2015 city election field looked like this:

MAYOR

Robert J. Dolan (incumbent, no opposition)

ALDERMAN-AT-LARGE

Michael Zwirko, 100 Derby Rd.

Mary Beth McAteer Margolis, 22 Stowcroft Rd. (incumbent)

Monica Medeiros, 3 Bay State Rd. (incumbent)

Jean-Daniel G. LaRock, 17 School St.

ALDERMAN WARD 1

John Musto, 232 Tremont St.

John Tramontozzi, 794 Franklin St. (incumbent)

ALDERMAN WARD 2

Jennifer Lemmerman, 21 Bay State Rd. (incumbent)

ALDERMAN WARD 3

Francis X. Wright Jr., 191 Florence St (incumbent)

ALDERMAN WARD 4

Robert A. Boisselle, 585 Main St. (incumbent)

ALDERMAN WARD 5

Marika McKnight, 56 West Wyoming Ave., #1

Gail Infurna, 198 Boston Rock Rd. (incumbent)

ALDERMAN WARD 6

Peter Mortimer, 47 Mt. Hood Terr. (incumbent)

ALDERMAN WARD 7

Scott Forbes, 41 Mystic Ave. (incumbent)

SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Jaime McAllister-Grande, 22 Tappan St.

Lizbeth DeSelm, 33 South High St.

Margaret ER Driscoll, 49 Boston Rock Rd. (incumbent)

Edward J. O’Connell, 20 Cleveland St.

The following candidates already have had their nomination papers certified by election officials: Dolan, McAteer Margolis, Boisselle, Infurna and McAllister-Grande.