City Council candidate bashes petition to skip special election

Local News

Candidate Said Ahmed’s campaign said moving ahead without a special election for the district would be “unjust.”

Said Ahmed, one of several hopefuls running for District 7 city councilor after Tania Fernandes Anderson announced her plan to resign earlier this month, is opposing a petition by councilors to forego a special election.

Council President Ruthzee Louijeune and Councilor Liz Breadon filed the petition April 14 in an effort to bypass a special election for District 7 city councilor prior to the Nov. 4 general election. They cited expected low voter turnout, high costs, and insufficient time for voters to learn about the candidates as the reasons to skip the special election.

“Given the accelerated timeline, the risk of excluding residents from the process is significant,” Louijeune said in a press release. “With the general election approaching later this year, it would be inequitable to ask the public to participate in such a hastened process that will leave voices out.”

Ahmed’s campaign spoke out against blocking the special election in a press release Wednesday, saying District 7 will be worse off for going months without a city councilor.

“District 7 cannot afford to be without a voice,” Ahmed said in the release. “Our community is facing urgent challenges, from housing insecurity, to underfunded education, to public safety. We need someone in City Hall who will answer our calls, fight for our families, and stand with us every step of the way. Blocking this election would silence the very people who rely on their City Councilor the most.”

Ahmed, a co-founder and coach at the Boston United Track & Cross Country Club, a free youth track program, announced his intent to run for City Council Dec. 4. Ahmed ran track professionally and worked in the Boston Public Schools system for 15 years, according to his campaign’s website.

Ahmed’s campaign said moving ahead without a special election would be “unjust,” pointing to District 8’s special election in 2023, which was held on a similar timeline.

The council is scheduled to vote on whether or not to hold the special election at an emergency meeting Friday, according to the petition.

“As City Councilor, I’ll fight for the people who built this district and make sure our voices are at the center of every decision, from housing to the redevelopment of White Stadium,” Ahmed said in the release. “This isn’t just a campaign, it’s a commitment to preserve and uplift the soul of Roxbury and all of District 7 for today and the generations to come.”