Posted on by

Three Compete in Ward 7 Democratic Primary

[CREDIT: City of Warwick] Warwick City Council Ward 7, currently represented by Council President Steve McAllister. McAllister is not running for re-election, and three Democrats are vying to be their party's nominee in the Nov. 5, 2024 election.

[CREDIT: City of Warwick] Warwick City Council Ward 7, currently represented by Council President Steve McAllister. McAllister is not running for re-election, and three Democrats are vying to be their party's nominee in the Nov. 5, 2024 election.
[CREDIT: City of Warwick] Warwick City Council Ward 7, currently represented by Council President Steve McAllister. McAllister is not running for re-election, and three Democrats are vying to be the party’s nominee in the Nov. 5, 2024 election.
[CREDIT: City of Warwick] Warwick City Council Ward 7, currently represented by Council President Steve McAllister. McAllister is not running for re-election, and three Democrats are vying to be their party's nominee in the Nov. 5, 2024 election.
[CREDIT: Warwick Post highlight, City of Warwick orginal] Warwick City Council Ward 7, currently represented by Council President Steve McAllister. Three are running for the Democratic nomination Sept. 10, facing off against two independent candidates Nov. 5.
WARWICK, RI — Three Democratic candidates hope to be nominee for Ward 7 Sept. 10,  who will run against two independents at the end of City Council President  Stephen McAllister’s last term.
“I am proud of my eight years on the council and especially the last four as Council President.  I am ready to take a step back from elected office and look for other opportunities to serve the city and state,” McAllister said of his future plans.
“My daughter is three and a half and is now playing soccer, dance and swim and I love attending all those activities.  My role at the US Chamber of Commerce continues to expand and I really enjoy that job.  Therefore, I thought this is the right time to step away from the council and let other people have an opportunity to serve,” McAllister added.

McAllister’s Council service: A brief history

McAlister, representing Ward 7 since 2017, was named Warwick City Council President in 2021. He was the first in recent years to hold the position without decades of prior experience on the board. He proceeded former Councilman Steven Merolla, who had served on the Council since 1999 before being named president in 2018.
That year Mayor Scott Avedisian resigned, moving then Council President Joseph J. Solomon into the Mayor’s office by charter, then winning the office in that November’s election.  At the time, then Council President Solomon had served on the Warwick City Council 20 years.

Election 2024: Where’s Which Ward?

Newcomers to the city or newly minted voters may need help finding their ward. Here is a series of maps of  each ward in Warwick (you can also look up your ward on the Secretary of State’s website):
The deadline to apply for mail ballot applications for the Sept. 10 primary is Tuesday, Aug.20, at 4 p.m.

Ward 7 Democratic Primary candidates

One of three candidates will face off against two independent candidates in the Nov. 5 general election:

Jacqueline ‘Jackie’  Anderson

Challenger Jackie Anderson in the Sept. 13 primary for the Dist. 23 nomination.
Jackie Anderson is running in the Ward 7 Democratic primary Sept. 10.

In 2022, Anderson challenged House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi in the Democratic Primary for Warwick Dist. 23, losing to the incumbent.

Anderson, a lifelong Rhode Islander, spent most of her life in Warwick. She moved from North Kingstown in second grade and graduated from Warwick Vets High School. She’s been a resident of Ward 7 for 13 years, and spent her childhood playing softball at the original Winslow park.

Anderson, a registered nurse with a focus on Women’s Health, has worked in many of the community hospitals in the state. She’s currently a Nursing Supervisor at a Health Center.

“I got in to nursing to help people. To make the happiest or scariest day of their life a little easier. I have done a lot with my nursing license and it has brought me great responsibility as well. As a Nursing Educator I managed 150 staff members. As a Clinical Leader I managed dynamic conditions and had to come up with creative solutions. All this to say, I have leadership experience under some of the most difficult situations, and can handle stressful situations with grace,” Anderson said.

Anderson sits on several non-profit boards, including Nora’s Haven and The Woman Project’s Education Fund. She’s also Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus.

“When elected I will put my neighbors first. I want our schools to be a priority,” Anderson said. Among her goals as aspiring Ward 7 representative:

  • I will make sure that the bond issued to repair the High Schools are being properly used.
  • I want to see housing that’s not only affordable, but accessible for our disabled and elderly populations.
  • I want our Sanitation Department to have the truck repairs they so desperately need.

John T. Kirby

John  T. Kirby ran against Mayor Scott Avedisian unsuccessfully in  2010, 2012, and 2014. The West Shore Road resident established Kirby Bros Construction, a construction company in Warwick, in 1975.

He does not have apparent social media or website pages for his campaign, and did not return several messages sent to his email account, business phone or home phone asking for information about his campaign.

 

Stephen M. Mulcahey

[CREDIT: Mulcahey campaign] Stephen Mulcahey, a Warwick Greenwood resident for six years, is running in the Ward 7 City Council Democratic primary.
[CREDIT: Mulcahey campaign] Stephen Mulcahey, a Warwick Greenwood resident for six years, is running in the Ward 7 City Council Democratic primary.
According to the Friends of Stephen Mulcahey X account, Stephen M. Mulcahey, a resident of Warwick in Greenwood with his wife, Gail for the last six years, is the RI Democratic Party Recording Secretary and a member of the state party Executive Board. He is the former Chairman of the Burrilville Democratic Party. He holds a BA in Business Management and works for the Cumberland School Department as the Controller of the Finance Department. He previously  worked for the Warwick School Department for 10 years.

He says he hopes to represent Ward 7 to keep Warwick moving forward. He proposes:

  • A federal grant-funded Senior Advocate to aid seniors seeking housing, healthcare and social services.
  • A federal grant-funded Warwick Learn 365 after-school program to curb learning loss
  • Consolidate city purchasing of employee healthcare into a master health plan, providing savings with no loss of benefits.
  • Provide first responders needed support, tools and training & continue Apponaug Cove improvements

“Our City has so much to offer and can keep growing stronger. I will work hard to ensure we have high performing schools, excellent municipal services and increased social services for our senior citizens. I will work to give our students and teachers the tools to get the job done!” Mulcahey wrote on Twitter when announcing his run.

Ward 7 independent Nov. 5 Election candidates

Roger J. Ceresi

Jeffrey P. Chapdelaine

 

Rob Borkowski
Author: Rob Borkowski

Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.

This is a test