Primary Election Takes A Back Seat In Reading

READING, MA — It was primary day across Massachusetts, but the lawn signs lining the road to the polls at Reading Memorial High School did not read Markey or Kennedy. Instead, they urged residents to "Support Vanessa," cast a ballot "For the Recall" or vote for John Halsey.

On top of Tuesday's primary election, voters were asked to consider a petition to recall Select Board member Vanessa Alvarado. Looking at the entrance to the high school – prime real estate on Election Day – it'd be easy to forget about the Senate race.

Groups toting signs and banners for and against the recall waved and cheered at honking cars as they turned into the driveway. Since the petition was introduced in February, it has polarized Reading, dividing residents and eclipsing Tuesday's other races.

Supporters of the recall claim Alvarado "acted to block police force ratification discussions following the Town Manager's selection of a police chief candidate on Jan. 11" in violation of the town charter, according to the petition.

The town appointed David Clark chief in February after going without a police chief for more than a year.

"Vanessa Alvarado is not upholding her oath that she took to support and apply the charter of Reading," voter David Pinatte told Patch. "She feels she can make her own rules. If it was up to her I don't believe we'd have a new chief of police as yet."

Pinatte said he believes Alvarado represents a "faction that is far left" and worries about Reading turning into "Cambridge west." He voted for former Select Board member John Halsey, who is on the ballot as a potential replacement for Alvarado.

"What I hope John will bring back to the Select Board is some rational, logical thought process and some decision-making that moves our town forward," Pinatte said.

Opponents of the recall have painted the effort as a political hit job and said there was nothing abnormal about the timeline in naming a new chief. Laura Wilson, who cast a mail-in ballot against the recall, disputed the claim that Alvarado violated Reading's town charter.

"I think it was an effort of political retribution instead of having any merit," Wilson said. Wilson voted to elect Alvarado three years ago and showed up Tuesday to support the Select Board member for doing her "due diligence."

"Recalls are meant for someone who breaks the rules," she told Patch. "I don't see anything wrong with what she did." Wilson voted in the primary as well but said she felt the recall was the larger issue in Reading.

Other residents who spoke to Patch said they were voting for the recall in support of the Reading Police Department. One woman said the "recall is the way to go because of the negative attitude toward the police department." She asked not to be named, citing the divide in Reading over the issue.

"[You] hear more about the recall than anything else in town," she said, comparing the polarization to the debate over COVID-19 regulations.

The petition failed to pass Tuesday.