24 Climate Champions Elected Across Massachusetts

Yesterday, 24 out of 33 ELM Action Fund-endorsed municipal candidates were elected to office. In total during 2023, the ELM Action Fund endorsed 38 candidates across 20 municipalities, making it the organization’s largest municipal election year so far. Among the climate champions now taking office across the Commonwealth, the ELM Action Fund helped to elect 2 mayors and 21 council members. 

Each of our endorsed candidates recognizes the urgent need for innovative, effective climate action. With this election, Massachusetts voters demonstrated they are invested in candidates who will improve transportation, electrify our buildings, and promote environmental justice.  

“Strong environmental leadership in cities and towns across the Commonwealth is crucial to achieving our state’s climate goals,” said Casey Bowers, Executive Director of the ELM Action Fund. “Voters made it clear they are looking to their leaders to commit to advancing clean energy and protecting our natural resources.” 

Throughout the 2023 election cycle, the ELM Action Fund team reached environmental voters across the Commonwealth. We knocked on 700+ doors, made over 1,500 phone calls, and sent over 650 postcards encouraging them to vote for candidates that share their values. We also highlighted each of our candidates in the Massachusetts Green Voter Guide, which made it easy for voters to find environmental champions on their ballots. 

This work was bolstered by the ELM Action Fund’s Campaign and Advocacy Fellows program, a paid opportunity during which fellows work directly alongside endorsed candidates. In 2023, nine fellows joined the organization’s efforts to elect environmental champions. 

The ELM Action Fund anticipates our leaders will accelerate the pace of progress as we build a greener, more equitable Commonwealth for all. 

Voters in Boston prioritized environmental justice by electing City Council At-Large candidates Ruthzee Louijeune and Henry Santana. Louijeune, the highest vote earner in the At-Large race who will enter her second term on the council, has been a committed climate advocate for improving community resilience. Newcomer Santana commits to making building retrofits more accessible and investing in green job training opportunities. 

Worcester voters re-elected Etel Haxhiaj, who has led the way to address the city’s heat islands, to represent District 5.  

In Revere, Juan Jaramillo was elected City Councilor At-Large with a focus on ensuring Revere residents have access to good-paying union jobs in the green energy sector. 

Ari Taylor won her open-seat election in Malden for City Council Ward 5 and is focused on addressing heat islands and supporting residents who want to retrofit their homes. The city also elected ELM Action Fund-endorsed incumbents Amanda Linehan and Carey McDonald. 

In Gardner, two strong environmental champion incumbents won re-election: Mayor Michael Nicholson, who is committed to advancing electric vehicles, and City Council President Elizabeth Kazinskas, who has worked to preserve the city’s green space. 

All ELM Action Fund-endorsed candidates made environmental solutions a focus in their local elections. 

See our full 2023 election results. 

The ELM Action Fund looks forward to working with climate champions to ensure our cities and towns are ready to work toward a thriving clean energy economy.