Submitted Press Release

Mayoral candidate Jon D. Brien, with the assistance of several supporters, successfully executed a Herculean effort to gather the signatures necessary to qualify for the November ballot.  Notwithstanding the difficulties that exist as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Brien for Mayor Campaign implemented the necessary safety protocols, while at the same time demonstrating that the campaign is a well organized machine that is ready to move forward in the election process.  “We decided to make lemonade out of lemons.  Nobody is happy about where the coronavirus has put all of us, but that is precisely when it is time to show that as a leader, you can adapt and think outside of the box.”  The group of supporters collected signatures in front of the Brien For Mayor Headquarters at 285 Main St where they gave everyone their own pen, nomination sheet, and sanitized clipboard.  “We weren’t taking any chances”, continued Brien.  “A number of candidates actually sued the State in order to not have to gather signatures, which I think is ridiculous.  The integrity of our elections can never be compromised, so we wanted to show the rest of the State how it’s done.”  In a ruling by Federal Court Judge Mary McElroy, the State was required to allow candidates to gather signatures electronically.  At issue was the hand-to hand exchange of pens and nomination papers, as well as clipboards used for that purpose.  “Public service is about being able to lead, delegate, organize, and adapt immediately to an ever changing environment.  As the next Mayor of Woonsocket, this is the type of leadership that the people of our city can come to expect each and every day.  We did in a short amount of time what nobody thought could be done.  This goes to show that when you have a group of dedicated people who believe in you, anything is possible.”