One week after the first Preliminary Election for Council in Ward 3 in a long time was presumably set, the contest is now no more.
Incumbent Councilor Naomi Zabot confirmed Wednesday afternoon she had withdrawn from the three-woman contest – cancelling the need for a Preliminary Election in the city.
Zabot said she was withdrawing for “personal reasons,” and her opponents said they had been notified, and Council President Roy Avellaneda and Councilor Leo Robinson confirmed that Zabot had withdrawn as well.
Zabot has served one term on the Council and had been intent on running for re-election. Recently, she ran into some contentious activity when she and others called for a License Commission hearing for noisy activity at the Car Wash on Eastern Avenue – sparking some hateful tirades directed at her on social media.
She would have faced School Committeewoman Marisol Santiago and La Colaborativa organizer and Affordable Housing Trust Fund member Norieliz DeJesus.
Avellaneda said he has cancelled an Aug. 30 Council meeting that was put in place to call for the Preliminary Election on Sept. 21. That will no longer be necessary, he said, and so he’s cancelled the meeting.