Salem News: Five vie for three councilor-at-large seats

Four new candidates have joined Julie Flowers, the only at-large incumbent, in the race for the three at-large seats that will be decided on Nov. 2. Beverly is the only city in the state in which the top vote-getter among the at-large candidates automatically becomes council president, adding another twist to the race.

Here’s a look at the five candidates competing for those three at-large spots on the nine-member City Council.

Hannah Bowen

After many years working in global policy, Bowen is now focusing her attention on local politics with her first run for public office.

“I’ve always wanted to be in public service and have been in a variety of ways,” she said. “In some ways I was sort of primed to run for office at some point because it’s one of the best ways to serve a community.”

Bowen, 40, grew up in Swampscott and graduated from Yale University and Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. In between, she joined the Peace Corps and lived in a small town in Ghana for two years.

Read the full article here.