Uyterhoeven Will Succeed Provost In 27th Middlesex

SOMERVILLE, MA —Erika Uyterhoeven won the Democratic primary for state representative in the 27th Middlesex District Tuesday. The district covers most of Somerville and was represented by Denise Provost for 14 years. Provost announced in January she would not seek re-election this year.

Uyterhoeven received 8,674 votes to opponent Catia Sharp's 5,313. She had strong support from unions, progressive advocacy groups and over a dozen elected officials.

"I'm honored to have been selected by the people of Somerville to be the Democratic nominee," Uyterhoeven said. "We made history by saying loud and clear that our love for justice, our love for the right to live our lives with dignity, and our love for everyone to have both a voice and the agency to shape our shared Commonwealth are rights that we all deserve. I appreciate so much everyone who shares this vision for a more progressive Massachusetts, and to the hundreds of people who turned out to volunteer on this campaign. I'm excited to continue fighting for progressive change at the State House and to make this shared vision a reality."

Uyterhoeven will not face a Republican challenger in November. More than 13,000 people cast a ballot Tuesday, a number that Uyterhoeven's campaign called "unprecedented." Voter turnout was 10,315 in 2018.

Sharp tried to get Uyterhoeven removed from the ballot prior to the election, filing a formal complaint with the State Ballot Law Commission that claimed Uyterhoeven had not lived in the district long enough to run. The commission ruled in June that Uyterhoeven could remain in the race.