Caraviello: ‘We’ve touched the third rail of Medford politics’
City Council candidates moving on to the general election share the issue that made a difference in their campaign.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include additional comments from candidates.
George Scarpelli and two non-incumbents gathered the most votes in Tuesdays City Council preliminary election, according to the unofficial results released by Medford Elections Manager James Blatchford.
Incumbent Scarpelli topped the list with 4,010 votes. Rick Caraviello, who has previously served on the City Council, garnered 3,698, and Melanie Tringali received 3,578 nods.
When asked what issue made a difference for his campaign, Caraviello said zoning.
“We’ve touched the third rail of Medford politics,” he said.
One of a councilor’s jobs, Caraviello said, is to protect the city’s neighborhoods, and he said he will be focusing on the issue of zoning leading into the November general election. That work, he said, starts now.
“Everybody starts fresh today,” he said.
For Miranda Briseño, who previously worked in the Medford Planning, Development, and Sustainability office, the issue that resonated with voters was the urgent need for improved and safer infrastructure, especially around pedestrians and cyclists.
“There’s been a lot of pedestrian deaths and serious injuries at the hands of cars in Medford, and I think across the political spectrum it’s something we can all agree upon,” Briseño said.
People see this in their day-to-day life, she said. Way-finding apps are bringing drivers down cut-throughs (side-streets), she said, and some drivers are speeding and failing to fully stop at stop signs.
Briseño said this presents a big risk, especially for vulnerable people, such as older adults, children, and people with disabilities.
“Our public infrastructure - our roads, our sidewalks - that connect to parks and our library and whatnot are the things that keep us together and really help us connect as people and as humans,” she said.
Briseño said she is honored to be on the ballot for November.
“I’m grateful to the voters who put me on their ballot and have given me a chance to continue to put my message out there and to keep knocking on doors through November and to, hopefully, get elected to the council,” she said.
Melanie Tringali emailed her response to the question, “What do you think made a difference for you in the election — was it a particular issue or something else?”
She wrote: “The biggest issue I heard about, time and again, was the rezoning of our neighborhoods. Residents feel the process moved too quickly and without enough input, and that concern really resonated throughout the campaign.
“That said, it wasn’t just about one issue. I worked hard to get out in the community — attending meetings, knocking on doors, and talking directly with people. Having run before, there was already some name recognition, and I built on that by showing consistency and commitment.
“I believe the combination of listening to residents, putting in the work, and standing firmly on protecting our neighborhoods and historic squares made the real difference.”
