Boston’s City Council will see a number of new faces after the Nov. 7 municipal election.
Voters voiced their choice for the four at-large positions, with Ruthzee Louijeune, Erin Murphy, Julia Mejia and Henry Santana set to serve the city starting in January. Louijene won with 20.20% of the vote, followed by Murphy with 19.89%, Mejia with 18.04% and Santana with 15.01%.
The Suffolk University College Democrats endorsed their picks for Councilor-At-Large, throwing its support behind incumbents Mejia and Louijeune and newcomer Santana. Matthew Marcil, the organization’s president, said he was planning to vote in alignment with the endorsements based on interactions with the three candidates and their campaign promises.
“I’m going to be voting for the incumbents. Julia Mejia, Ruthzee [Louijeune] and Henry Santana,” said Marcil. “I’m very sat with those three, I’ve spoken to them in person and worked with their campaigns, and they’re all very good people.”
Voters supported John FitzGerald to represent the city’s third district with 58.56% of the vote. Upon January’s inauguration, FitzGerald will take the seat left open by the retirement of Councilor Frank Baker. FitzGerald, a Boston native who now calls Dorchester home, has served the city as deputy director of Imagine Boston 2030, director of finance for the Office of Economic Development and most recently as deputy director of real estate operations.
Enrique Pepén won 52.37% of the vote to represent District Five. The concession of Councilor Ricardo Arroyo following the election’s September primary left the door open for Pepén, a newcomer to the Council. Pepén, a first-generation American, was born and raised in Boston. He has served as a co-chair of the Regional Transit Authority Advocates Coalition and executive director of the Boston Office of Neighborhood Services.
Benjamin Weber claimed the victory with 60.3% of the vote from District Six, filling the seat left open by another controversial primary loss by Councilor Kendra Lara. Weber, a resident of Jamaica Plain, began his career as a lawyer, primarily focusing on class-action litigation for fair wages, as well as working as an assistant attorney general under former Attorney General Martha Coakley.
Incumbent Tania Fernandes Anderson won the District Seven seat with 70.28% of the vote. Fernandes Anderson was born in Cape Verde and came to live in Roxbury as a child. Most recently, she has worked as the executive director of Bowdoin Geneva Main Streets, a Dorchester non-profit.
Incumbent Sharon Durkan of District Eight claimed 70.44% of the vote to maintain her seat. Durkan was voted onto the council in July’s special election, where she faced the same opponent. Durkin, who resides in Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, served as chair of the Boston Ward 5 Democratic Committee alongside owning a small business.
Wrapping up the contested district councilor races, incumbent Liz Breadon will hold the District Nine seat for another term, winning the district with 66.23% of the vote. Breadon immigrated to Allston-Brighton from Northern Ireland. She began her career as a physical therapist, working in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service. Breadon has spent over two decades as an activist in Boston, serving on the board of the Brighton Allston Historical Society and the Presentation School Foundation.
Incumbents Gabriella “Gigi” Coletta, Edward Flynn and Brian Worrell maintained each of their seats, running unopposed for districts one, two and four, respectively.
This is an ongoing story. The Suffolk Journal will continue to cover the election results in the upcoming weeks.
Journal Contributor Jack Gosselin and Photo Editor Leo Woods contributed to the reporting of this article.
