Politics & Government

DeNapoli Says He Will Not Seek Re-Election to District 5

Four candidates have pulled nomination papers for DeNapoli's seat.

Ronald DeNapoli, the District 5 Town Councilor since 2008, said Thursday that after 20 years of public service in Braintree, he has decided not to run for re-election this fall.

"I lived in town my whole life and wanted to give back to the town I love and I believe I've done that," DeNapoli said in an email, "it's time to let some young blood carry on, thanks to my supporters it's been the most rewarding time of my life."



Earlier this year, DeNapoli addressed his many absences from council meetings by saying that he had an unspecified medical condition. DeNapoli's attendance at a council meeting March 19 was his first since Nov. 20, 2012. He has missed several more since then.

Because of his health issues, he no longer has time "to do the job and that's not right to my district," DeNapoli said Thursday. 

DeNapoli's District 5 seat is an early battleground in the town election, to be held Nov. 5. 

Four candidates quickly pulled nomination paperwork when it became available earlier this month. One, Nick DiMartino, said Wednesday that the Town Clerk had certified enough of his signatures to qualify for the ballot.

"The support from my friends all across Braintree since kicking off my campaign for District 5 has been encouraging and I am pleased to announce that I have been notified that we've submitted enough certified signatures to qualify for the ballot this fall," DiMartino said in a statement. "I'd like to thank everyone for their support for my campaign and I look forward to seeing you on the campaign trail."

Michael Owens, William Sweeney and Philip Baldassini have also pulled papers for District 5. 

Sweeney is a former executive secretary in Braintree who left office in 1999 over a contract dispute. He ran two years ago for the same seat.

Owens is a 23-year-old Braintree High graduate going into his senior year at UMass Boston studying political science.

Baldassini also ran for the seat two years ago. He also ran in 2009 and said in a previous interview that he was prompted to enter town government after seeing problems with how National Grid coordinated with town road construction.


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