Newport Council-elect To Choose New Mayor On Wednesday

NEWPORT, RI — Newport will wait one more day to learn who will be the new mayor. According to the Secretary of State's website, the city council caucus, which was scheduled to meet Tuesday afternoon, has postponed the session one day. According to the agenda, the business is the informal selection of the mayor and the vice-chairman of the council.

Councilor Jamie Bova, 29, is expected to be named the new mayor. She is in her second term and is an engineer at the Naval Underseas War College. She will be replacing outgoing Mayor Harry Winthrop, who decided not to seek another term.

Newport residents do not vote directly for mayor. Per the city charter, the council-elect chooses a chairman and vice-chairman among the pool of at-large councilors. Traditionally, they have met in November to do so informally. The formal vote comes in December after the swearing-in.

Along with Bova, Councilor Susan Taylor, an attorney, is expected to be named vice-chairwoman, replacing Lynn Underwood Ceglie.

Two years ago, before the caucus, Winthrop faced competition from Jeanne-Marie Napolitano. She was the current mayor and was believed to have support from Ceglie and Ward 3 Councilor Kathryn Leonard. However, she was one vote short. At the caucus, he was elected unanimously.

Election Night at Sardella's Restaurant, Napolitano told the Newport Daily News she would be the new mayor and had the four votes necessary. But then, it turned out she did not.

Bova, McLaughlin, Taylor, newly elected Ward 1 Councilor Angela McCalla, Napolitano, Ceglie and Leonard will vote at the caucus.

The meeting is in the second floor conference room, across from Council Chambers in City Hall.