Published December 6, 2019

WAKEFIELD — The special election to fill the vacant 32nd Middlesex seat in the state House of Representatives will be held Tuesday, March 3, with a primary set for Tuesday, February 4.

State officials announced the dates Monday. The March 3 special election for the House seat, which covers all of Melrose, Wakefield’s precincts 4, 5 and 6, and a sliver of Malden, will come during the 2020 state presidential primary.

The 32nd Middlesex vacancy was created when state Rep. Paul Brodeur resigned after being elected Melrose mayor last month. As of our mid-week deadline, Melrose City Councilor Kate Lipper-Garabedian and Wakefield Town Councilor Ann McGonigle Santos had announced their intentions of running for the House seat, which will be back up for for its regular two-year term in November.

As with any election, there are various dates on which deadlines to participate must be met.

Those dates pertaining to the special House election are as follows:

December 24, at 5 p.m.: Last day and hour for submitting nomination papers to City/Town Clerks, local Registrars of Voters or Election Commissioners for the certification of signatures.

December 30: Certification of nomination papers must be completed.

December 31, at 5 p.m.: Last day and hour for filing nomination papers, including enrollment certificate and State Ethics Commission receipt, with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.  

January 3, 2020 at 5 p.m.: Last day and hour for filing withdrawals of or objections to all nomination papers and certificates of nomination with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

January 8, at 5 p.m.: last day and hour for filling vacancies caused by withdrawals for primary candidates.

January 15: Last day to register voters for the state primary; registration hours 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

February 4, State Primary – Polls open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.  

February 10, at 5 p.m.: Last day and hour for filing withdrawals of or objections to nominations made at the state primary and for filing written acceptances by write-in or sticker candidates who won in the state primary with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.  

February 12: Last day to register voters for the state election; registration hours 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.  

February 13, at 5 p.m.: Last day and hour for filling vacancies caused by withdrawals at the state primary.  

March 3, State Election – Polls open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.