Melrose 2023 Election: Jennifer Grigoraitis Wins Race For Mayor

MELROSE, MA — Jennifer Grigoraitis has been elected mayor of Melrose, according to the unofficial results of Tuesday's Municipal Election.

Grigoraitis will be taking over for Paul Brodeur, who announced last spring that he would not seek reelection.

With all precincts reporting, and with the totals still unofficial, Grigoraitis received 4,994 votes, defeating Monica Medeiros Solano, who received 3,780 votes.

Grigoraitis is in her second term as the Ward 6 city councilor and she has twice been elected as the council president by the other councilors. Professionally, Grigroraitis has spent 15 years as the chief of staff at the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance.

"I am so grateful that Melrose voters supported our vision and plan for moving Melrose forward," Grigoraitis told Patch. "By working together, I am hopeful that we will accomplish so much for our city and its residents.

"I look forward to collaborating with stakeholders from across the community to start this important work immediately."

A total of 8,914 votes were cast, which was 42 percent of the 21,238 registered voters.

Here are the unofficial results of other races in Melrose. (* is listed next to candidates who have been elected, according to the unofficial results.):

Councilor At-Large, top 4 elected

Christopher Sullivan 2,157 votes

Michael Lyle 2,758 votes

Edward O'Connell 2,812 votes

Maria Berardi 970 votes

*Ryan Williams 3,053 votes

*Ward Hamilton 2,914 votes

John Orlandella 943 votes

*Leila Migliorelli 4,688 votes

Paul Schille 1,703 votes

*Maya Jamaleddine 4,358 votes

School Committee, top 3 elected

*Margaret Driscoll 3,896 votes

David Trzepacz 2,736 votes

*Seamus Kelley 4,875 votes

*Matthew Hartman 4,326 votes

Councilor Ward 1, 1 candidate elected

*Manjula Karamcheti 919 votes

Councilor Ward 2, 1 candidate elected

J. Michael McCarthy 345 votes

*John Obremski 897 votes

Councilor Ward 3, 1 candidate elected

*Robert Stewart 820 votes

Councilor Ward 4, 1 candidate elected

*Mark Garipay 1,058 votes

Councilor Ward 5, 1 candidate elected

*Kimberly Vandiver 428 votes

Councilor Ward 6, 1 candidate elected

*Cal Finocchiaro 655 votes

Barbara Travers 599 votes

Councilor Ward 7, 1 candidate elected

*Devin Romanul 891 votes

The election also had one ballot question, where there were 5,301 "Yes" votes and 3,293 "No" votes, with the "Yes" side prevailing by a simple majority.

The question was: Shall the City of Melrose be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to pay costs for design, engineering, construction, site improvements, equipping, and furnishing of a renovated Melrose Central Fire Station, a new Melrose Highlands Fire Station, a new Melrose East Side Fire Station and a new Melrose Police Station, and other costs incidental and related thereto?

Here is more information about the ballot question, including frequently asked questions.