Marlborough Councilor Will Attempt Seat Change In 2023 Election

MARLBOROUGH, MA — A shuffle among Marlborough city councilors ahead of the 2023 election continued this week with Ward 6 Councilor Sean Navin saying he will run for an at-large seat this year.

Navin could pick up the seat At-Large Councilor Samantha Perlman is vacating in her bid to become Marlborough mayor. Perlman and Ward 3 Councilor Christian Dumais are vying to replace Mayor Arthur Vigeant, who is not running for reelection.

In a letter to Ward 6 residents, Navin didn't name a specific reason for his bid to change seats, but said he wants to continue working on issues that affect every resident in Marlborough, from education to transportation.

"It is important to me that we are building a city that succeeds economically and reinvests that into its community. We should provide students with every opportunity to achieve, protect our open space and enhance our environmental stewardship, and take care of our seniors and veterans," he said in the letter. "I am running for councilor at-large to continue working on these issues with a focus on the impact they will have on our community for years to come."

Navin won the Ward 6 seat in 2019 in a race against Michael Cabral after nine-term incumbent Edward Clancy decided not to run for reelection. Navin, a Marlborough High School graduate, didn't face an opponent in his 2021 reelection bid.

Ward 6 encompasses the north-central section of Marlborough, from Washington Street north to the Fort Meadow Reservoir.

It's unclear yet who might run for the Ward 6 seat and other seats — including every other council seat, three school committee seats and one Assabet Valley School Committee seat — up for election this year: the filing period when candidates can pull papers to run doesn't begin until May 8.