First-term Ward 2 Councilor Tracy J. O’Neil has launched an 11th-hour sticker campaign for an at-large seat on the City Council in the Nov. 7 municipal election.
In the city’s preliminary election in September, O’Neil was unsuccessful in advancing in a three-way race for mayor against incumbent Greg Verga and the city’s former health director, Mary Ellen Rose.
O’Neil has been an outspoken critic of over-development in her downtown ward, and of a new law, known as Section 3A, which calls for MBTA communities such as Gloucester to craft multi-family, by-right zoning rules or else lose opportunities to apply for a number of state grants. Last year, she opposed zoning amendments meant to create more housing that would have led to density and height changes. Most of those changes were voted down by the council.
When asked Friday why she was running the write-in campaign, she said: “Because I can’t sit back and watch what’s happening to my city.”
In November 2021, O’Neil topped former Ward 2 Councilor Barry Pett by two votes after a recount. This after her candidacy was thrown into doubt due to the city’s precinct redistricting plan, which moved her Friend Street neighborhood from Ward 2 to Ward 1.
The Secretary of State’s Election Division said the precinct changes in the wards would take effect with this year’s municipal election, making O’Neil ineligible to run for re-election in Ward 2. Dylan Benson and Dan Epstein are the two candidates who have advanced to November ballot.
O’Neil told the Times her ballot stickers may be obtained by contacting her campaign at oneilcampaign@gmail.com.
The write-in candidate said she asked to participate in the debate for City Council at-large candidates at the Lanesville Community Center on Thursday evening and was told “no.”
O’Neil attended the debate and toward the end, stood up and asked if she could direct a question to Ward 4 Councilor Valerie Gilman, the city council president who is running for one of four at-large seats available on the council. Also seeking at-large seats are former mayoral aide Chris Sicuranza and incumbents Jason Grow, Tony Gross, Jamie O’Hara and Jeff Worthley.
Gilman said she had an objection to a question that was meant only for her.
“I don’t think that’s fair to the rules of debate,” Gilman said.
Moderator Dick Prouty agreed with Gilman, and asked O’Neil to direct her question to all the candidates and he would moderatet. O’Neil said, “No” and Prouty said O’Neil was not going to ask her question.
“Way to stifle, again, congrats!” said O’Neil as someone in the audience could be heard saying, “Well, why don’t you follow the … rules.”