SALISBURY — Regardless of the outcome, Salisbury’s city government will look dramatically different after Tuesday’s municipal election, the first under the city’s new five-member district system.
Salisbury will hold its municipal elections Tuesday, Nov. 3 and there will almost certainly be a significant change in the dynamics for the Mayor and City Council. For example, current Council President Jake Day is running unopposed for mayor.
The council’s five district seats are up for grabs with incumbents filing in four. With Day essentially elected as the new mayor already, his seat will be occupied by a newcomer.
In the past, the city was divided into two council election districts with two members elected from District 1 and three members elected from District 2. Last fall, the City Council adopted a charter amendment establishing the boundaries for five new election districts and also changed the election date from April to November.
In addition, the old system used to stagger the elections in order to prevent a possible complete turnover in a single year. However, this year, the mayor and five council districts will all be contested at the same time. The new system has created some anomalies. For example, current incumbents Jack Heath and Tim Spies will now face off in the same council district.
Adding to the intrigue for the Salisbury elections on Tuesday, current Mayor Jim Ireton is not seeking re-election, but has filed for one of the five council district seats.
In District 1, incumbent Shanie Shields faces two challengers. Also filing for the District 1 seat are challengers April Jackson and Sarah Halcott. In District 2, there will be a newcomer filling the seat after the election on Tuesday. Four candidates are on the ballot for the District 2 seat, including Muir Boda, who made an unsuccessful bid for the seat in the last election. Also filing in District 2 was Keyvan Aarabi, Marvin Ames, and Justin Gregoli.
In District 3, incumbents Heath and Spies will each be seeking re-election. Heath and Spies ended up in the same district when their lines were redrawn and at least one won’t be re-elected. Joining Heath and Spies in the District 3 race will be challenger Kevin Lindsay.
In District 4, Ireton, the current mayor, is seeking the seat. He will be challenged by Roger Mazullo. Finally, in District 5, current Councilmember Laura Mitchell is running unopposed and has subsequently secured another term.
