Ex-Councilor Challenging Spicer In 2021 Framingham Mayoral Race

FRAMINGHAM, MA — The first challenger to incumbent Mayor Yvonne Spicer appears to have emerged. On Wednesday, former City Councilor and Board of Selectmen member Charlie Sisitsky filed papers to run for mayor of Framingham in 2021, according to state records.

The filing with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance marks a significant step toward a possible contested mayoral election in Framingham, but Sisitsky would also have to meeting local filing requirements to officially become a candidate: he would have to gather 500 or more signatures from registered voters, with at least 25 from each district, according to the City Charter.

Sisitsky, 75, served in some capacity in local government in Framingham for about 40 years. In addition to the Board of Selectmen and City Council, he was a member of Town Meeting and the Finance Committee — bodies that existed prior to the transition to a city. He also chaired the recent Fuller School Building Committee.

Sisitsky said Wednesday he has received "so many entreaties" from locals encouraging him to run.

"They come from all corners of the community and represent parents, educators, seniors, environmentalists and business and political leaders and all of them are concerned with the trajectory of our current administration and its many shortcomings that are putting our city at a competitive disadvantage — right at the moment we should be focused on working collaboratively toward a post-pandemic recovery," he said Wednesday.

Spicer is completing her first term in 2021, but has yet to declare if she's running for reelection. She has more than $30,000 in her reelection campaign account, according to state records, and did significant fundraising in January and December, and over the summer.

Spicer made history in 2017 when she defeated John Stefanini, now the District 8 City Councilor, to become the city's first mayor — and the first Black woman to lead Framingham. She took the seat with 58 percent of the vote.

Neither Spicer nor campaign treasurer Mahmood Akhtar have returned previous requests for comments about Spicer's electoral plans this year.

On top of the mayoral election, voters in Framingham in November will elect nine district city councilors and school committee members.