Bostonian reflections on mayoral candidates for upcoming election

Citizens have explored concerns like climate change, the cleanup of Mass and Cass, and changes in police departments as they have listened to Boston mayoral candidates debate the solutions in readiness for election day voting. On Nov. 2, the polls will be open for Bostonians to elect one of the two survivors of the preliminary election. Wu, past president of the Boston City Council, is the front-runner in the polls over George, a former businesswoman and teacher in Boston.

Wu supporters perceive her as a leader who can make change by maintaining the environmental wellbeing of the city.

“In Wu's proposals, I see real opportunity for substantial positive change,” said Justin Folkers, CEO of technology service Apiphani. “Essaibi George offers more of the same, or far too little change to adequately address the urgency of the moment.”

George is considered the centrist candidate. While George’s rival has much more progressive ideas on the Boston police, claiming the department needs systematic reform, George plans to hire hundreds of more police officers. George’s supporters hope to avoid any defunding that Wu would implement.

Gerard Colpoys, a police officer at Northeastern University, supports Annissa George in the race.

“She’s pro-police,” he said. “She wants to keep everyone safe in the city. She wants funding for us.”

Boston citizen Kelsey Souza lauds George for her apprehension of Boston that comes from her real-life experiences.

“She was a city counselor at large, so she’s seen that side. She’s seen what the schools are like. She’s a part of the teacher’s union so she’s seen what Boston public schools have been going through,” said Souza

The values behind George’s campaign are reflected by her past experiences as a teacher in Boston. She feels strongly about forging a receptive and productive school system with better resources to ensure every student’s success in the long term. As the schools comprise most of the city-owned buildings in Boston, George pledges they must be updated.

George is a Boston native, and her supporters feel that she will successfully represent the Boston community because she has always been a part of it herself.

Nevertheless, Michelle Wu, has held a tight grip on the lead throughout preliminaries and recent debates with George. Wu’s involvement in the council seems to have lent her an understanding of the people in the city, based on her lead of 32 points.

Wu’s campaign focused greatly on the environmental status of the city. On the city council, she made eco-friendly changes like banning single-use plastic bags and pushing legislation to protect natural resources. She hopes to further continue countering climate change as mayor with her Green New Deal for all of Boston, which could involve free public transportation and expanding Boston’s tree-canopy.

Still, supporters of Annissa George, like Souza, feel that elected officials must represent deep roots of the city.

“I like that what keeps Boston unique is that we have our roots: it’s very strong here,” Souza said.