NORTHAMPTON — Challenger Laurie Loisel gained the most votes in a contentious preliminary battle for the City Council’s Ward 3 seat, although incumbent Quaverly Rothenberg told the Gazette she remained confident in her chances in the upcoming municipal election.
Both Loisel and Rothenberg advanced following the preliminary election on Tuesday, with polling for the ward held at the Northampton Senior Center on Conz Street. Loisel was present following the closure of the polls at 8 p.m. and viewing the first unofficial results displayed at the center.
“I’m just kind of still taking it all in,” Loisel said in an interview. “I’m heartened to have gotten first, but we’ve still got our work cut out for us ahead of the general election.”
While mayoral and at-large City Council positions had more people voting for them in the preliminary election, the Ward 3 race was a closely watched one — a trend likely to continue up to Nov. 4.
After being elected to the council in 2023, Rothenberg has emerged as one of the staunchest critics of Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra, while supporting higher school spending in the city. By contrast, Loisel is more aligned with the mayor’s administration, evidenced by her visiting Sciarra’s post-election party at the restaurant Spoleto following the closure of the polls.
Rothenberg has also courted controversy in her time on the council, culminating in her being censured in March as a result of her conduct in a call to dispatch in February. Rothenberg defended her actions as looking out for constituents during a severe ice storm.
In a statement to the Gazette, Rothenberg said that although she did not receive as many votes as Loisel in the preliminaries, the combined results for her and Ace Tayloe, the third candidate in the election, exceeded those of Loisel. Tayloe campaigned on a similar platform of issues, such as higher school spending, that is also endorsed by Rothenberg.
The final tally Tuesday was Losiel with 440 votes, followed by Rothenberg with 308 and Tayloe 223.
“This election was a referendum on city management: 54% voted for me and Ace,” Rothenberg said. “Those were all votes for housing, schools, roads and sidewalks.”
Tayloe declined to comment to the Gazette, but joined other candidates at a post-election party at JJ’s Tavern on Wednesday, cheering on candidates that advanced in the election backed by the advocacy group Support Our Schools.
During polling hours at the Senior Center, several voters spoke to the Gazette about their views on the Ward 3 race.
“It’s been particularly contentious, but I’m excited how many people are throwing their hat in the ring,” said Jess Dawson, a Ward 3 resident who cast their vote Tuesday. Dawson said she voted for Loisel, but also expressed support for Tayloe.
“I was drawn to Ace, but Laurie has a lot of experience,” she said. “But I hope Ace sticks around.”
Bernardine Mellis said she just wanted to see more cooperation among councilors, but declined to say which candidate in Ward 3 she voted for.
“I hope we can do politics in a collaborative way, and bring multiple views into the conversation,” said Mellis. “If all these people can get together and do good government, that’s what’s important.”