Quincy Votes! publishes candidates’ war chests and answers to voter questions

Voters who want to learn more about the candidates running for mayor, city council, and school committee – including how much money they’ve raised and where it comes from – have a new resource: quincyvotes.org/2023. 

“We have heard from voters across Quincy that it’s hard to understand the difference between candidates in local elections,” says Liz Speakman, president of Quincy Votes!, the local civic group behind the new webpage. “This resource will help voters make more informed choices.”

Quincy Votes! sent candidates in each race the same list of questions sourced from the community. “Our goal was to get beyond campaign platitudes and drill down to specifics,” says Maggie McKee, vice president of Quincy Votes! “We wanted voters to be able to compare candidates’ answers to questions about affordable housing, education, and how much of their money comes from donors with business interests in the city.”

Nine of the 20 candidates running for local office chose to submit answers:

• Councilor At-Large Anne Mahoney, candidate for mayor

• Councilor At-Large Nina Liang, candidate for re-election

• Ward 2 Councilor Anthony Andronico, candidate for re-election

• Ward 2 challenger Richard Ash

• Ward 4 Councilor James Devine, candidate for re-election

• Ward 4 challenger Matthew Lyons

• Ward 6 challenger Deborah Riley

• Frank Santoro, candidate for re-election to the School Committee

• Courtney Perdios, candidate for School Committee

“We’re grateful to the candidates who took the time to show where they stand on local issues,” says McKee. “Democracy thrives when voters understand who and what they’re voting for.”

Quincy Votes! also calculated how much money each candidate has raised so far this year, how much of that came from Quincy residents, and the size of the average contribution. Mayor Koch, for example, had raised more than $426,000 by September 25, with 46% of that coming from residents of Quincy, and an average contribution of $372. His challenger, Anne Mahoney, had raised about $58,000, with 90% coming from Quincy residents and an average contribution of $105. To see similar comparisons for every contested race, visit quincyvotes.org/2023money.

Voters can also find links to candidates’ websites, if available, their appearances on Quincy Access TV, and mentions of their name in local news at quincyvotes.org/2023. 

Register to vote by October 28 to vote in this election or check your voter registration status at bit.ly/mavoting. Apply to vote by mail at bit.ly/mailvotema. Vote early at City Hall on Oct. 28 (8:30 am to 5 pm; lobby) or from Oct. 30 through Nov. 3 (8:30 am to 4:30 pm; 2nd floor). Election day is November 7, and polling places will be open from 7 am to 8 pm. Find or check your polling place (it might have changed!) at wheredoivotema.com. To learn more about Quincy Votes!, visit quincyvotes.org or email quincyvotes@gmail.com.