Brookline’s Raul Fernandez Secures Spot On Ballot In State Rep Race

BROOKLINE, MA — Former Brookline Select Board Vice Chair Raul Fernandez has officially qualified for the ballot in the Democratic primary for Brookline’s 15th Norfolk District, his campaign announced Wednesday.

Fernandez will face incumbent Rep. Tommy Vitolo.

“I’m proud to share that our campaign has submitted our nomination papers, complete with enough signatures to secure our spot on the ballot in September,” Fernandez said in a statement. "I’m so grateful to everyone who signed my papers and to the volunteers who worked tirelessly to help me hit this milestone."

Candidates for State Representative must collect signatures from registered voters across their districts in order to appear on the primary ballot. Nomination papers must be filed with the state by May 31st.

Brookline Hills resident Luciana Schachnik signed Fernandez’s nomination papers and plans to vote for him this fall.

“I was proud to sign Raul’s nomination papers because in my 32 years as a resident of Brookline, I have never seen someone fight for equity so effectively — as a resident, as a Town Meeting Member, and for the past three years, as a member of the Select Board,” Schachnik said in a statement. “I have no doubt he’ll continue that fight as our State Representative. We need him on Beacon Hill.”

With less than four months before the September 6 primary, Fernandez has held four community-driven policy discussions covering racial justice, climate, education, and housing.

“Policymaking shouldn’t happen behind closed doors — even if those doors are on Beacon Hill,” he said. "The fact is, the people whose lived experiences align most closely with the structural problems we face have the best chance of solving them. That’s why we’re taking a different approach in this campaign, and it’s why we’re being intentional about ensuring that our policies are shaped by the communities they’ll affect.”

Since he launched his campaign in December, Fernandez has secured endorsements from two-term Brookline Select Board member and 2020 Congressional candidate Jesse Mermell, Brookline for Racial Justice and Equity, the Brookline Equity Coalition, Brookline Select Board Member Dr. Miriam Aschkenasy, Brookline School Committee Chair Suzanne Federspiel, Brookline School Committee Member Mariah Nobrega, and Brookline Asian American Family Network Chair Chi Chi Wu.

More information about Fernandez’s campaign is available at raulforrep.com.