Candace Julyan

Greetings all,

While I’m disappointed that we came up short on Tuesday, I am so proud of our campaign and team.

We gave the voters of Ward 3 a real choice. We worked hard and listened to the voices of all the residents in Ward 3, not just those who agreed with us. And I feel that we followed Michelle Obama’s advice with regard to campaign shenanigans—when they went low, we went high.

I needed yesterday to reflect on these past six months. Being a first time candidate was an eye-opening experience for sure. It was definitely a roller coaster ride. I am so very grateful to those of you who have been there with me on this journey—both family and friends near and far, old and new. Your unwavering support was critical—supporting me through the lows and celebrating the highs together. Thank you!

Campaigns are a lot of work—much more than I had anticipated! Thanks to all of our incredible volunteers who knocked on doors, made phone calls, held signs, organized events, and lifted me up every day. I absolutely could not have done this without you. It has been a real joy to meet hundreds of Ward 3 residents through this endeavor. I am greatly encouraged by the thoughtful conversations I had with so many of you. Malden is truly lucky to have such remarkable residents. I hope to continue our conversations in the coming months and years. I believe that many of us are ready and eager to see changes in Malden and I look forward to working together on this.

My campaign manager Amanda Smith did an amazing job giving me a crash course in running for office and providing her sage counsel all along the way. I am enormously grateful that she agreed to take me on and to help me navigate these rough political waters. I absolutely could not have done this without her.

And finally I must acknowledge my husband David. He far exceeded any expectation I had of spousal support throughout this campaign. I feel truly blessed to have such a loyal, hard-working, and loving partner.

As we approach the holiday season, I am feeling very grateful—grateful for all the opportunities of this campaign from understanding more deeply how our government works to meeting so many neighbors in Ward 3 to forging new friendships with my remarkable volunteers.

Thanks to all of you. Though we were not victorious in the end, I am hopeful that we can all continue to work together for a better Malden.

With gratitude,
Candace