Lydia Edwards | |
|---|---|
_speaking_at_a_celebration_of_the_Bipartisan_Infrastructure_Law_at_Boston_Logan_International_Airport_in_Boston_on_Sept._12%2c_2022_(523536815851).jpg) Edwards in 2022 | |
| Member of theMassachusetts Senate | |
| Assumed office January 20, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Joseph Boncore |
| Constituency | 1st Suffolk and Middlesex district (2021–2023) 3rd Suffolk district (2023–present) |
| Member of theBoston City Council from the 1st district | |
| In office January 2018 – April 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Salvatore LaMattina |
| Succeeded by | Gabriela Coletta Zapata |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1981-12-13)December 13, 1981 (age 44) |
| Party | Democratic |
| Education | Fordham University (BA) American University (JD) Boston University (LLM) American University (JD) |
Lydia Marie Edwards[1] (born December 13, 1981)[2][3] is an American attorney and politician. She served as a member of theBoston City Council from the 1st district from 2018 to 2022[4] and has served as a member of theMassachusetts Senate from the1st Suffolk and Middlesex district since 2022. She resigned from the Boston City Council at the end of April 2022.[5]
She and her twin sister were raised by their mother who served in theUnited States Air Force.[6][7] Edwards earned a Bachelor of Arts degree fromFordham University, aJuris Doctor from theWashington College of Law, and aMaster of Laws in taxation fromBoston University School of Law.[8][9][10] She graduated fromWashington School of Law atAmerican University with ajuris doctor.[11]
Edwards has worked as a public interest attorney with Greater Boston Legal Services and served as the deputy director within the Mayor's Office of Housing Stability.[4]
Edwards was elected to theBoston City Council in November 2017 and assumed office in January 2018. She represents theNorth End,East Boston, andCharlestown.[12] Edwards was a member of the council'sliberal wing. Other members of this informal grouping includedAyanna Pressley andMichelle Wu.[13]
In July 2018, Edwards and fellow city councilorsKim Janey and Michelle Wu introduced legislation to remove as-of-right designations forchain stores, requiring a conditional use permit for chain stores to open and operate in any area designated as a "neighborhood business district."[14]
Edwards and fellow councilor Kim Janey proposed areal estate transfer tax. Negotiations with other city councilors reduced this to a 2% tax on properties valued at $2 million or more, a decrease from their original proposal of a 6% tax. In December 2019, the Boston City Council voted to adopt Janey and Edwards' home rule petition requesting that the state permit the city to impose such as tax. MayorMarty Walsh advanced the home rule petition to the legislature. If the petition had been authorized by the state, revenue raised from the tax (predicted to be in excess of $160 million annually) was to be placed in the city's Neighborhood Housing Trust to buildaffordable housing.[15][16]
In 2019, Edwards partnered with attorney generalMaura Healey, congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and fellow city councilor Michelle Wu in a digital campaign urging the state government to adopt the Roe Act. This was a proposed state statue intended to codify the protections of abortion care provided in theRoe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision (a decision which was stillgood law at the time).[17]
In 2019, in the aftermath ofSuper Happy Fun America's 2019 "Straight Pride Parade" and unrest that occurred related to it, Edwards offered her own praise of the city's police force, calling its officers "amazing superheroes".[18] However, she objected to holding a vote on an resolution introduced by CouncilorAlthea Garrison (aDonald Trump-alignedconservative)[19] that would offer "unwavering support for theBoston Police Department and theBoston Police Patrolmen's Association in their work" and would "unequivocally condemn any and all violence and disrespect" towards officers. Edwards argued that Garrison's proposed resolution appeared intended not to support officers, but rather to "intended to support a political agenda".[18]
In 2021, Edwards led the effort to amend theBoston City Charter provision relating to city budgets.[20] An ordinance for the city to hold a bindingreferendum on amending the city charter during its November 2021 municipal elections was passed by the city council. The amendment's changes included giving the City Council the power toline-item veto some of the items in a budget put forth by the mayor, amend a mayor's proposed budget both in whole and in part, and the ability to override a mayoral veto of a budget by a two-thirds vote. These changes provide the City Council with more powering the creation of a budget. Another change in the amendment was creating an Office of Participatory Budgeting, giving the city's residents more power in the creation of city budgets.[21][22] In June 2021, Acting Mayor Kim Janey signed the ordinance.[21][22] Weeks later, State Attorney GeneralMaura Healey cleared the referendum for inclusion on the ballot.[22] The referendum saw the amendment approved by voters, thereby amending the city charter.[20]
Edwards joined council members Michelle Wu andMatt O'Malley in a years-long push to have the citydivest its financial resources fromfossil fuels.[23] In November 2021, as mayor, Michelle Wu signed such an ordinance into law.[24]
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In 2016, Edwards was an unsuccessfulDemocratic candidate in thespecial election for the First Suffolk & Middlesex District of theMassachusetts State Senate. However, she ran for the State Senate again in 2022, and this time she was successful.[25] She won the Democratic primary on December 15, 2021, defeating Revere School Committee member Anthony D'Ambrosio by a 60%–40% margin.[26] Edwards is the first woman and person of color to represent the senate district.[27]
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In 2023, Edwards was sworn-in as aJudge Advocate General's Corps officer in theMassachusetts Army National Guard.[11]
In the 2025-26 session, Edwards sits on the following committees in the Senate:[28]
Edwards is a member of the following caucus:[29]
Edwards is involved with the following commission:[30]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party Primary Results | ||||
| Democratic | Lydia Marie Edwards (incumbent) | 11,497 | 98.9% | |
| write-in | 131 | 1.1% | ||
| Total votes | 11,628 | 100% | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lydia Marie Edwards (incumbent) | 32,396 | 97.0% | |
| write-in | 1,006 | 3.0% | ||
| Total votes | 33,402 | 100% | ||
| Democratichold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lydia Edwards | 8,147 | 60.1% | ||
| Democratic | Anthony D'Ambrosio | 5,386 | 39.7% | ||
| write-in | 34 | 0.3% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Lydia Edwards | 1,764 | 94.9% | ||
| write-in | 95 | 5.1% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Lydia Edwards | 4,400 | 96.6% | ||
| — | write in | 155 | 3.4% | ||
| Candidates | Preliminary Election | General Election | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |
| Lydia Edwards | 3,547 | 45.95% | 6,906 | 52.70% |
| Stephen Passacantilli | 3,628 | 47.00% | 6,182 | 47.17% |
| Margaret Farmer | 522 | 6.76% | ||
| Write-in | 22 | 0.29% | 17 | 0.13% |
| Total | 7,719 | 100 | 13,105 | 100 |
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