Some voters in Ashmont Hill are circulating a petition in protest of a proposed switch of their state representative.
The state Legislature’s redistricting committee, charged with redrawing political boundaries for seats held by Beacon Hill lawmakers and the state’s D.C. delegation, is proposing state Rep. Russell Holmes (D-Mattapan) represent Dorchester’s Ashmont Hill neighborhood.
The area the petition backers live in, Precincts 6 and 9 in Ward 17, is currently represented by state Rep. Marty Walsh (D-Dorchester). Petition backers say they have a strong working relationship with Walsh, who was elected to the seat in a 1997 special election and is chair of the House Ethics Committee. Walsh, who would also pick up a precinct in Quincy under the plans, also holds down a high-profile union job.
Holmes, a financial analyst, was elected last year, succeeding Willie Mae Allen.
Vicki Rugo, who lives on Ocean St., says the petition has picked up 70 signatures.
“They do feel positive about Marty, I don’t think it’s anything necessarily about Holmes,” Rugo said.
The petition will be submitted to the redistricting committee, which is chaired by state Rep. Michael Moran (D-Brighton) and state Sen. Stanley Rosenberg (D-Amherst). The committee has asked for comment, and its chairs have said the maps are subject to change.
Rosanne Foley, a Welles Ave. resident, said with Walsh as their representative, they have a “political partnership” that is working well. “We’d be with someone completely different and completely new and we’d have to start all over again,” she said.
Holmes said he was not aware of the petition but that he would like to sit down with the petition backers and introduce himself. Walsh will be helping him meet people, and he plans to send out a letter to wards and precincts in order to reach out to them, he added. “They’ve not gotten a chance to know me,” Holmes said.
Holmes noted that the changes to the district lines were made in order for several of the Dorchester House districts to maintain majority-minority status.
“I will do a good job for each ward and precinct I have,” he said.
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