Medford City Council Election Candidates Compete

Medford, October 11, 2025

News Summary

As Medford’s municipal election approaches, the city council race for at-large seats heats up with candidates highlighting their priorities on development, safety, and affordability. Patrick Clerkin, Emily Lazzaro, and Nicholas Giurleo each bring distinct platforms as they engage the community in their campaigns. Voters will soon decide on essential issues impacting their city, making informed choices critical ahead of the polls.

Medford — The municipal election in Medford is approaching, and the city council race for at-large seats is highly competitive with multiple candidates presenting distinct platforms on development, safety, affordability, and city operations.

Top lines

Patrick Clerkin, age 32, is running for a City Councilor at-large seat. Emily Lazzaro, age 40, is running for re-election to a City Councilor at-large seat. Nicholas Giurleo, age 28, is also vying for a City Councilor at-large seat. Each candidate emphasized different priorities, from financing development and improving communications to road safety and affordability.

Candidate profiles and primary priorities

Patrick Clerkin

Patrick Clerkin, age 32, is running for a City Councilor at-large seat. He is an Independent/Unaffiliated candidate. Family information provided includes Jill (mother), Charlie (father), Tory (older sister), and he has no family of his own. His education includes a high school diploma from North Reading High School and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University. Occupations listed are mechanical engineer, technical writer, project manager, entrepreneur, handyman, and civic organizer. He has no previous or current public office experience but held private roles as president and trustee of Alpha Kappa Sigma fraternity and chair of house ministry at North Reading Union Congregational Church. His campaign website is clerkin4medford.com.

Clerkin said he is seeking election to improve unclear or broken development, financial, and communication processes in the city, and to enhance coordination of resources while balancing neighborhood needs. He identified financing the city’s development needs as a pressing issue. Proposed solutions include establishing enticement packages for businesses and developers to expand commercial revenues, implementing a communication plan to balance city modernization with neighborhood character and needs, and supporting the transition to a new city charter to enable better representation. Clerkin described the current council’s ideological view as complicating compromise and has positioned himself as preferring a pragmatic, local-focused approach; he reported canvassing 7,500 residences door-to-door. Campaign issues listed also include street and sidewalk maintenance, support for public safety officials and educators, financing for a new high school, fire station headquarters planning, and organizing civic culture. He described his personal qualities as approachable, patient, curious, and committed to engaging with diverse opinions and community input.

Emily Lazzaro

Emily Lazzaro, age 40, is running for re-election to a City Councilor at-large seat. She is a Democratic candidate. Family information provided notes she is married with two children aged 10 and 8. Her education credentials include a BFA and MFA from Boston University and a Graduate Certificate in Gender, Leadership, and Public Policy from UMass Boston. Her occupation is listed as writer and President of the Board of Directors at the Malden Warming Center, a nonprofit emergency homeless shelter. She is an elected member of the Medford City Council. Her campaign website is https://www.emilyformedford.com.

Lazzaro said she is seeking re-election to protect residents’ rights, enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists, and creatively increase revenue for community support. She identified unsafe road conditions leading to pedestrian fatalities as a pressing issue and noted ongoing measures with various agencies for road safety. She described her approach as upholding representative democracy, ensuring constituents’ needs and opinions guide her actions. Other campaign issues include affordable housing, food security for vulnerable residents, and increasing the commercial tax base for resource distribution. Personal qualities were summarized as extroverted, open to discussion, and valuing community engagement.

Nicholas Giurleo

Nicholas Giurleo, age 28, is also vying for a City Councilor at-large seat. He is Unenrolled. Family information lists Marianne (mother, physical therapist), Nick (father, retired Army, physical therapist), and Natalie (sister, biologist). His education includes graduating as Valedictorian from Medford High School, a B.A. in History and International Relations from Tufts University, and a J.D. from Boston College Law School, with admission to the Massachusetts Bar in November 2023. His occupation is attorney, and he has no prior elected office experience. His campaign website is https://www.nickgformedford.com.

Giurleo indicated a desire to serve the community and to take action against dissatisfaction with the current direction of the city. He identified affordability as a pressing issue, proposing solutions such as promoting economic growth, better budgeting, and preserving the existing commercial tax base. He emphasized zoning and transparency in City Council operations, including public input and engagement, as campaign focus areas. The best advice he reported receiving was to be humble and always put others before oneself. He called on voters to engage in local governance and to participate in votes and council meetings to influence change.

Campaign contrasts and methods

All three candidates emphasized civic engagement but differed on priority areas and problem-solving approaches. Clerkin focused on development financing, modernization balanced with neighborhood character, and the transition to a new city charter. Lazzaro prioritized pedestrian and cyclist safety, resident rights, and social supports tied to revenue strategies. Giurleo emphasized affordability, preserving the commercial tax base, budgeting discipline, zoning, and transparency. Campaign activity reported includes Clerkin’s door-to-door canvassing of 7,500 residences and incumbent engagement by Lazzaro through council work; Giurleo highlighted recent professional credentials and calls for increased public participation.

What to expect next

Voters in Medford will weigh these priorities ahead of the November polls. The candidates’ stated plans cover financial strategies, safety measures, zoning and development oversight, and civic outreach. Voters are encouraged to review candidate information, attend public forums and council meetings, and confirm polling details for the municipal election.

FAQ

Candidate summary table

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Additional Resources

• Patch: Patrick Clerkin Candidate Profile
• Tufts Daily: Medford Election Candidates
• KOBI5: Medford City Council Car Wash Restrictions
• Cambridge Day: Somerville Meetings
• Bay State Banner: Medford Ordinance on Public Funds
• Wikipedia: Medford, Massachusetts
• Google Search: Medford Municipal Election
• Encyclopedia Britannica: Election
• Google News: Medford City Council

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