Tight Race Ends with First Honorary Mayor!
On April Fools Day, the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce launched the very first election for Honorary Mayor of Nantucket. Friday, August 13, the voting ended and last Monday, August 16, the winner was announced.
Nantucket’s first Honorary Mayor elected-by-cash is Fifi Greenberg. With only 13 votes separating the top three candidates, the race was tight to the very end. Mariellen Scannell, who brought in the second highest number of votes, is Nantucket’s Deputy Mayor, and Max Perlman came in at a close third after running a very enthusiastic and visible campaign.
After being sworn in, Honorary Mayor Greenberg stated: “I give my competitors huge kudos for doing this—everyone was very professional and there was a good sense of playfulness. It was all in great fun!”
Deputy Mayor Scannell agreed and added: “Ask not what the Chamber can do for you, but what you can do for the Chamber.”
Candidates await results - (left to right) Gene Mahon, Fifi Greenberg, Mariellen Scannell, John Luttman, Max Perlman, Mark Donato
The other ten candidates for Honorary Mayor of Nantucket should be congratulated on their admirable efforts, commendable campaigns, and unflagging good humor. They are: Christopher Holmes, Gene Mahon, Lou Borrelli, William Hannum, Simon Shurey, Dante Benatti, John Luttman, Moses Easley, Mark Donato, and Giovanni Savaglio.
Nantucket’s Honorary Mayor will not have any actual power, but she will make special appearances at this December’s Christmas Stroll, at Daffodil Festival 2011, and at other Chamber-sponsored events. Nantucket has never had an official mayor: day-to-day operations are handled by a Board of Selectmen and a Town Manager, with an annual Town Meeting to approve budgets and vote on legislation.
With a slogan of “Vote early and often!” and good humored campaigning, this tongue-in-cheek fundraiser raised more than $18,000 for the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce. Information about the 2011 “election” will be posted soon at www.NantucketMayor.com.
