Deeley Exits, Binnall Enters Framingham 2021 City Council Races

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Two campaign announcements made Thursday will shake up the 2021 Framingham City Council races in districts 2 and 4.

League of Women Voters of Framingham (LWV) co-president Stephanie Deeley said she will drop out of the District 4 race against incumbent Councilor Mike Cannon. Deeley said she felt pressure to exit she was questioned about the ethics of running for office while still at the LWV.

"The LWV is clearly needed in Framingham to offer voters, by way of our candidate forums, a way to have a clear understanding of the positions of all candidates for office," she said. "Across the country, there is a climate of suppressing public participation in government and limiting access to voting. The LWV works to protect voting rights, inform voters about candidates and promote a more engaged electorate."

Jim Pillsbury, the other LWV of Framingham co-president, also pulled papers to run for the District 4 seat, but has said he's not running.

In the adjacent District 2, Jake Binnall on Thursday announced plans to run against incumbent Councilor Cesar Stewart-Morales. Binnall, a UMass Amherst graduate, has been active in local political groups, but this is his first run for citywide elected office. Binnall ran in 2016 as a write-in candidate in the Republican primary to challenge state Sen. Karen Spilka in the general.

Binnall, 23, served on the Framingham Community Development Committee (but was not reappointed, he has said, over differences with Mayor Yvonne Spicer), founded the Teenage Republicans of MA group and served as the student representative on the School Committee while at Framingham High School.

He highlighted issues like cuts to the School Department budget — there have been six in the past year alone — and needing to redevelop the former lumberyard in Saxonville at School and Concords streets as reasons why he's running.

"It is far beyond time for our officials to end the drama and get to work," Binnall said in his announcement. "I will be a dedicated, passionate, kind and creative Councilor and I will spend every moment of my time on that body to making District 2, and Framingham as a whole, a better place for you and your family to live, work and enjoy."

Stewart-Morales, who was first elected in 2019, announced his reelection bid over the Memorial Day weekend.

Framingham Election 2021

In 2021, all but the two At-Large City Council seats are up for election, plus the library and cemetery trustees. All Councilors except Robert Case and Margareth Shepard have pulled papers to run in 2021.

Here are all the candidates who had pulled papers to run this year as of Friday, according to the City Clerk:

Mayor

• Carlos Valadares
• Charlie Sisitsky
• Yvonne Spicer (i)
• Rick McKenna

District 1 City Council

• Christine Long (i)

District 2 City Council

• Cesar Stewart-Morales (i)
• Jacob Binnall

District 3 City Council

• Adam Steiner (i)
• Mary Kate Feeney

District 4 City Council

• Michael Cannon (i)

District 5 City Council

• Noval Alexander

District 6 City Council

• Philip Ottaviani (i)

District 7 City Council

• Magdalena Katarzyna Janus
• Eugene C. Grzywna

District 8 City Council

• John Stefanini (i)

District 9 City Council

• Edgardo Angel Torres
• Tracey Bryant

School Committee District 1

• Beverly Hugo (i)

School Committee District 2

• Richard Finlay

School Committee District 3

• Jennifer Moshe

School Committee District 4

• Adam Freudberg (i)

School Committee District 5

• Priscila Sousa (i)

School Committee District 7

• Tiffanie Maskell

School Committee District 8

• Jessica Barnhill (i)

School Committee District 9

• William Labarge (i)

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• Framingham Mayor Yvonne Spicer Will Seek Re-election In 2021
• Sisitsky Campaign Launch Features Sharp Criticism Of Spicer
• Framingham Councilor Margareth Shepard Not Running In 2021