PEABODY – Peabody City Councilor-at-Large Anne Manning-Martin announced Tuesday she is running for the Governor’s Council 5th District to represent 36 cities and towns across the Commonwealth’s North Shore and Merrimack Valley. Councilor Manning-Martin is vying to replace outgoing Councilor Eileen Duff.

For 25 years, Councilor Manning-Martin has served the City of Peabody as a member of the Peabody School Committee from 2000 to 2007 and has served on the Peabody City Council since 2008. During her tenure, she evaluated and approved or denied the hiring of public officials without fear or favor for city positions ranging from School Superintendent to City Clerk.

Manning-Martin said she intends to bring the same impartiality to the Governor’s Council, which is currently comprised of councilors from only the Democratic party.

“Lady Justice is not blind when a single party controls both the selection of judges and their nomination by the Corner Office. Judicial offices should not be subject to lifetime patronage appointments for those with friends in high places. Citizens of the 5th District deserve a Councilor who will fight for their fair day in court in front of judges who were vetted on their ability to conduct unbiased arbitration,” Manning-Martin said.

“For 25 years, I have put the City of Peabody first. My career, both in elected office and more than three decades in the criminal justice system, uniquely qualifies me to evaluate the far-reaching effects the Commonwealth’s judges have on our residents.”

“If elected, I promise to represent our 36 communities with fairness, integrity, and a truly unbiased rule of law. Massachusetts should have faith in a system that is supposed to treat everyone equally, no matter who you are or who you know,” Manning-Martin said. For more information about Manning-Martin, go to www.anneforgc.com.
About the Governor’s Council and the 5th District
The Massachusetts Governor’s Council, also known as the Executive Council, is composed of eight individuals elected from districts, and the Lieutenant Governor who serves as ex officio. The eight councilors are elected from their respective districts every two years. The Council meets weekly to record advice and consent on warrants for the state treasury, pardons and commutations, and recording advice and consent to gubernatorial appointments such as judges, clerk-magistrates, public administrators, members of the Parole Board, Appellate Tax Board, Industrial Accident Board and Industrial Accident Reviewing Board, notaries, and justices of the peace.
The Fifth Councilor District is comprised of the following communities: Amesbury; Andover; Beverly; Boxford; Danvers; Dracut; Dunstable; Essex; Georgetown; Gloucester; Groveland; Hamilton; Haverhill; Ipswich; Lawrence; Lowell; Manchester-by-the-Sea; Merrimac; Methuen; Middleton; Newbury; Newburyport; North Andover; North Reading; Peabody; Pepperell; Rockport; Rowley; Salem; Salisbury; Tewksbury; Topsfield; Tyngsborough; Wenham; West Newbury; and Wilmington.