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SOMERVILLE, MA – On October 6, 2025, the Somerville Elections Commission issued a final decision to overrule an objection to a divestment ballot initiative led by Somerville 4 Palestine, paving the way for city divestment to be decided by the electorate on the November ballot.
Opposition to the ballot measure was led by Judy Pineda Neufeld. The former Ward 7 Councilor decided to not run for reelection in May 2025 before forming the committee that would accept $150,000 in funds raised by the Anti-Defamation League and their allies to defeat the ballot measure to divest the city from genocide. The average donation was over $1000.
In March, Somerville residents nearly overwhelmed Somerville City Hall in their demand for divestment – 700 outside the doors. The council at that time voted to put the ballot question on file, rather than to approve it directly. Six months later, with the opposition now consolidated to challenge the question on the basis of its rules, the Elections Commission scheduled the hearing on Monday, October 6.
A Summer of Canvassing
Somerville 4 Palestine has spent the past six months in a “summer of canvassing.”
After learning that the ballot question would move to the ballot, Somerville 4 Palestine registered as a municipal ballot committee and started building support through bread-and-butter conversations with residents across Somerville.
Organizers spoke to every membership and at every town hall and to every assembly that would have them. They also planned a canvassing operation that spanned the city. Somerville 4 Palestine clipboarded at farmers’ markets, borrowed time at Porchfest stages, grabbed the attention of pedestrians and bikers traversing across the four square miles of the city. Organizers rolled suitcases full of signature sheets from people’s house to house, from Union to Magoun, from Porter to Ball Square.
It was “pure democracy at work,” said one organizer.
In the end, Somerville 4 Palestine turned in 11,000 signatures. The number was more than double the 5200 unique signatures from residents needed to reach the ballot. Organizers indicated there were 288 community members volunteering for the initiative gathering the astounding mountain of signatures.
Even though 8000 signatures were certified by Elections prior to the hearing, Zionists still poured money into their challenge to decertify the “polarizing, divisive” ballot question to divest from genocide. Supporters rallied outside City Hall at 9:15AM before packing the council chamber for the hearing at 10AM.
Challenge in the Chamber
The room quickly reached capacity. Outside, supporters turned away by security stood in the bright sunshine texting others in the chamber. Others wrapped in keffiyehs stood in tense conversation with hecklers who showed up late just to deny Palestine’s existence and dismiss genocide concerns with “we both want humanity for both peoples.”
Nonetheless, the only person whose voice rose to a screaming pitch was yelling about parking.
Inside, every seat was filled. Willie Burnley, Jr., DSA-endorsed city councillor running for Mayor of Somerville, listened to the hearing next to supporters in the audience. DSA city councillor JT Scott took notes, brow furrowed, in a chair on the side of the room. Palestine banners draped from seat to seat as the people watched the hearing.
At 10:45AM, Somerville 4 Palestine began to rebut the arguments of the objection. The Elections Commission listened, impassive, as organizers related each point of the canvassing operation. Organizers also described the step-by-step process through which Somerville 4 Palestine approached the subject to ensure all rules were followed, including the recommendations of city councillors and the city solicitor. At the end of the hearing, the chair motioned for deliberation.
As a Somerville 4 Palestine organizer said during their speech:
There’s no ballot question that isn’t contested. That’s the whole point of elections. This is an exemplification of the democratic process.
The audience murmured for the three minutes of deliberation taken by the commission. Then, suddenly, the chair stood. “We have decided to overrule the objection,” he said. A quick all in favor passed before he slammed the gavel: “so ruled.”
The audience erupted into a storm of applause. Now, the decision on divestment rests with Somerville itself.
Travis Wayne is the deputy managing editor of Working Mass.
The post Somerville 4 Palestine Defeats Challenge, Divestment Moves to Ballot appeared first on Working Mass.
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