Earlier this year, voters were asked to decide whether to elect Correia or recall him. They did both. This time, Correia is on the ballot along with two other candidates, Paul Coogan and Cathy Ann Viveiros. That, in spite of the fact that he announced over two weeks ago that he’d step aside from his position amid two-arrests and dozens of federal charges against him.
“I’m here today to officially announce my decision to forgo my campaign for re-election as the mayor of Fall River,” Correia said. “And take a temporary absence from my responsibilities as the mayor of the city.”
Federal officials arrested the 27-year old mayor for allegedly extorting marijuana vendors for cash and milking investors from an app he started before he was elected to office. Correia has vehemently denied all charges.
For many, Correia’s decision to step aside meant a clear win for his opponent, school committee member Paul Coogan. After all, in the preliminary election, Coogan received over 60-percent of the votes. Correia was in a distant second with just over 20-percent.
But Coogan says Correia is still his biggest competition. The former high school vice principal says his goal is to restore dignity to City Hall.
“[Residents] got sold a bill of goods that was not what it was supposed to be,” Coogan said. “We ended up getting whacked as a city. We don’t deserve it.”
Coogan is also facing off against city administrator Cathy Ann Viveiros. The write-in candidate announced she was running after her boss, Correia, stepped aside. But her decision to run was fraught with criticism after leaked audio revealed Correia’s plan to sway the election with a write-in candidate.
But Viveiros, who is running for the sixth time, says she’s an independent person who has worked under the leadership of three different mayors.
“To suggest that I am connected solely to one mayor when I’ve actually served for three mayors is not accurate,” Viveiros said. “I hope people will see me for the individual and independent that I am and decide that they want to give me opportunity to continue the vision.”
Across the river, voters in New Bedford will also go to the polls and cast their vote for mayor. They’ll have a choice between incumbent Jon Mitchell and Richard Tyson Moultrie.