DAN ALLIE
WESTFIELD – The papers are in, and the race has officially begun for the 4th Hampden District seat in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, with an election date of April 1.
Democrat Attorney John Velis and Republican City Councilor Daniel Allie turned in their petitions containing the required 150 signatures to Westfield City Clerk Karen Fanion’s office yesterday afternoon.
The seat became available when Republican Don Humason beat Democrat David Bartley in a special election for state Senate. Humason had been 4th Hampden District Representative since 2002, before becoming a state Senator.
“Now that the petitions are turned in, we have till Friday to get everything certified,” Fanion said. “The candidates will then pick them up and get them to Boston by the 28th, either by mail or by hand delivering them.”
JOHN VELIS
Velis recently returned to his hometown law practice after a deployment with the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division where U. S. Army Reserve captain was tasked to supervise the ‘Rule of Law’ operation in Afghanistan’s southern province of Zabul.
“I’m excited. I equate it to waiting and finding out which team you’re going to play in the playoffs,” he said of the campaign, adding that he and his team handed in several hundred signatures yesterday. “We’ve been pounding the pavement in rain, shine, blizzards, to get my message out to the voters of Westfield. We’re going to keep doing it all the way till April 1st.”
Allie, himself an Army veteran, is a local businessman and the chairman of the city’s Republican City Committee, as well as the city’s newest at-large city councilor and is looking forward to the campaign.
“We are taking the next step. I strongly believe that we need a state representative who will stand up for the taxpayers like Don Humason did in the House,” he said. “The people of Westfield deserve a choice in each election.”
Allie, who said he filed 500 signatures yesterday, plans to formally announce his candidacy at the East Mountain Country Club on February 18.
There was no 11th-hour dark horse candidate, as Allie and Velis both took out papers early.
