Who Represents You: Local Level
Mayor
In Medford, the mayor is elected by constituents every two years (in odd-numbered years). A mayor is the highest ranking official in a municipal government (that of a city or town) and is responsible for making executive decisions at the city level.
Brenna Lungo-Koehn (D) — Lungo-Koehn has represented Medford for nearly two decades, since first being elected to city council at the young age of 21. As mayor, Lungo-Koehn is working on increasing collaboration between the Recreation Department and Community Schools, digitizing public records, creating a charter review commission, creating a comprehensive zoning plan, and strengthening relationships between City Hall, residents, and new businesses.
City Council
City council serves at the link between constituents and the municipal government. City council comprises the legislative branch of municipal government; members propose bills and ordinances, handles votes, and passes laws to help govern the city. In Medford, members are elected every two years (odd numbered years). There are seven members on the council.
Isaac B. “Zac” Bears (President)
Kit Collins (VP)
Anna Callahan
Emily Lazzaro
Matt Leming
George A. Scarpelli
Justin Tseng
School Committee
The Medford school committee oversees the city’s school system, working closely with the Superintendent Dr. Marice Edouard-Vincent. The committee comprises six members, elected every two years (in odd-numbered years) and chaired by Mayor Lungo-Koehn.
What’s Up in Medford?
The city recently released a “social justice roadmap,” laying out proposed goals for “work around equity and inclusion” in City Hall and the community at-large.
Racism was declared a public health crisis in June 2020
The city pledged to be hunger free by 2025
The city created resilience hubs to address climate resiliency in Medford. The “Resilient Medford, Resilience Hubs” project is focusing on social connectedness, information access, and resource access.
Medford
Medford is divided up into eight wards, each with two districts. Tufts’ on-campus housing is located in 4-1. If you live off campus, you can search your ward and district here.
Somerville
Somerville is divided up into seven wards, each encompassing three districts. The Tufts’ campus is located primarily in 6-3, with several houses in 7-1 and 7-3. If you live off campus, you can search your ward and district here.
Mayor
In Somerville, the mayor is elected by constituents every two years (in odd-numbered years). A mayor is the highest ranking official in a municipal government (that of a city or town) and is responsible for making executive decisions at the city level.
Katjana Ballantyne (D) — Elected in 2022, Ballantyne has already created some remarkable changes in the local community. She has issued a 10% budget increase in public schools, allocated $8.3 million towards affordable housing, and expanded the Office of Racial and Social Justice. She plans on creating a universal basic income program for low-income residents, develop a multilingual language plan, and launch more policies aimed at lowering pollutants.
City Council
City council serves at the link between constituents and the municipal government. City council comprises the legislative branch of municipal government; members propose bills and ordinances, handles votes, and passes laws to help govern the city. In Somerville, members are elected every two years (in odd-numbered years). There are four members serving at large and an additional seven to represent each district.
Ben Ewen-Campen (Ward 3) - President
Judy Pineda Neufeld (Ward 7) — VP
Willie Burnley Jr. (At-Large)
Wilfred N Mbah (At-Large)
Kristen Strezo (At-Large)
Jake Wilson (At-Large)
Jefferson Thomas (JT) Scott (Ward 2)
Jesse Clingan (Ward 4)
Naima Sait (Ward 5)
Lance L. Davis (Ward 6)
School Committee
The school committee oversees the city’s school system, working closely with the Superintendent Mary Skipper. The committee comprises seven members, each representing their respective district, elected every two years (in odd-numbered years); the Mayor and President of City Council are also ex-officio members.
What’s up in Somerville?
There is an ongoing effort in Somerville to lower the voting age in local elections to 16.
Libraries are set to open during after-school hours with heightened security.
A new ranking lists Union Square as one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world.
Somerville City Council affirmed the federal Green New Deal resolution.