The Somerville city councilors in Ward 2 and Ward 3 have resigned their seats. This means we’re about to have a special election to replace them.
Derrick Rice has already announced his run for the Ward 3 seat. But so far, no one has announced a run for Ward 2. The next city councilor could be you! (Or if you don’t live in this ward, one of your friends who does.)
Ward 2
J.T. Scott has been ward councilor to Somerville’s Ward 2 since he was elected in 2017. But on September 3rd, he made the surprise announcement that he was resigning as city councilor, to take effect on December 31, 2026.
The Election
Both seats will be filled by special election. The city council approved the special election at their meeting last Thursday, but no date was set in public, though they did suggest it might happen “at the beginning of the calendar year”. There’s been nothing from the Election Commission — past elections have taken place in January or February, but that seems optimistic given that resignations aren’t effective until 12/31.
The requirements to run for Ward 2 are pretty light. You only need to be a Somerville voter who lives in Ward 2. Section 2-1(c) specifies that “Any voter residing in the ward from which election is sought shall be eligible to hold the office of ward councilor”, and a “voter” is anyone residing in Somerville who is eligible to vote under state and federal law. From there, you need to collect at least 50 certified signatures from people who live in the ward, then you can file.
As of this writing, no one has announced their candidacy. The only potential candidate we’re aware of is Emily Doran, co-chair of the Union Square Neighborhood Council, who has expressed interest in the seat (per the CS Indie).
Start Your Engines
This is an exceptionally exciting time to run!
The city council is unusually open. Not only are there two vacancies on an eleven-councilor bench, turnover in 2025 brought in two new at-large councilors in Wheeler and Link. Councilor Mbah is stepping down after winning his race for state representative and Walles is taking his seat. Your chance to make a difference for Somerville issues like transit or housing may never be greater.
If you have an interest in local politics, the barrier to entry may never be lower. This election is non-partisan, and there’s no party primary. If you’re a voter and resident of the ward, all you need is 50 signatures. Ward races are low-turnout, so the quality of your campaigning and organizing will matter a lot more than how much money you raise. And it’s not a big lift — the campaign will likely only run for a few months.
There are not a lot of elections where a talented citizen with little background in politics can show up and have a decent chance of winning a major seat, but this is one of them. The incumbent is actively recruiting — Scott’s letter is explicitly an invitation, and he extends an offer to teach the skills himself:
I invite you, my neighbors, to look inside yourself and ask if this is your time to step forward. … I mean it sincerely when I say that YOU can do this job as long as you care deeply for your community and are ready to work hard to serve it. There is no training program for this job and no degree that prepares you for it, but I am willing to help you learn the technical skills required.
This is a chance to invest a small amount of effort into a serious run for public office, with a chance to get elected as city councilor in one of the densest cities in America.
Somerville has a strong tradition of incumbency. If you win, you can likely remain city councilor for several cycles. And the position is a springboard, a chance to consider a run for higher office. Two city councilors (Ben Ewen-Campen and Will Mbah) just won their races for state representative.
If you lose, the run becomes a small and prudent investment to help you decide if you want to run again in the future, and gives you the experience to win if you do. No matter what, you will walk away with a deeper understanding of democracy and how the local political system actually works.
You can find what ward you live in using Ben’s Somerville Ward Finder tool (or try the official tools here). See if you live in Ward 2 (or 3).
If you’re interested in running for city council, reach out to Ben at ben@ben.net, we’d be more than happy to discuss.
If you don’t live in Ward 2, or you don’t feel ready to run, ask your friends and your friends of friends if they know anyone inspiring and talented who lives in Ward 2. Forward them this post! If you know someone promising, encourage them to consider a run, and to reach out.