By Colin A. Young, State House News Service
Beverly Democrat Hannah Louise Bowen defeated her City Council colleague Todd Rotondo in Tuesday’s Democratic primary contest and moves on to the May 13 special election to fill the House seat vacated by Jerald Parisella at the start of the year.
Bowen, an at-large councilor, claimed victory Tuesday night at an event and posted to Facebook on Wednesday morning thanking “everyone who has shared their hopes and concerns so far.”
The Salem News reported early Wednesday that Bowen garnered 2,733 votes to the 2,054 votes cast for Ward 1 Councilor Rotondo in the 6th Essex District primary. The district includes Beverly and one precinct in Wenham.
Republican Medley Long III, also of Beverly, was unopposed Tuesday in the Republican primary, and advances to the special general election. He most recently worked as president of the Greater Beverly Chamber of Commerce, and has been involved in several community organizations.
The special election was called after Parisella resigned the seat he was reelected to in November. Rather than take the oath for another session, the Democrat instead joined the judicial branch in January as a District Court judge, leaving his district without representation until at least mid-May.