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Immigration attorney Diann Slavit Baylis, who previously explored a run for Congress, is now shifting gears and launching a campaign for Governor’s Council in Massachusetts’ 6th District.
Slavit Baylis, a Marblehead resident, announced she has taken out nomination papers from the Secretary of State’s Office and plans to collect signatures throughout the district.
The move marks a change in direction from last fall, when she publicly considered a bid for the 6th Congressional District seat. Instead of entering what has become a crowded Democratic primary for Congress, Slavit Baylis is turning her focus to the eight-member Governor’s Council, which advises and consents on the governor’s judicial appointments, as well as pardons, commutations and warrants for the state treasury. The council also plays a role in certifying statewide election results.
The 6th Governor’s Council District includes parts of Boston and most of Cambridge, along with the cities of Chelsea, Everett, Lynn, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Revere and Somerville, and the towns of Lynnfield, Marblehead, Nahant, Reading, Saugus, Stoneham, Swampscott, Wakefield, Winchester and Winthrop.
The seat is currently held by Terrence W. Kennedy, a Democrat who has represented the district since January 2011. Kennedy has been reelected every two years since first taking office and is serving a term that runs through January 2027. His tenure of more than 15 years makes him one of the longer-serving members of the council.
In announcing her candidacy, Slavit Baylis emphasized her work as an immigration attorney, particularly her representation of unaccompanied immigrant children. She noted that while most immigration proceedings take place in federal court, decisions affecting minors seeking Special Immigrant Juvenile Status — a pathway to citizenship — are made in state probate courts.
“We need judges with knowledge, integrity and compassion at every level of our judiciary,” she said, adding that judicial appointees should understand immigration law and protect the constitutional rights and best interests of immigrants and immigrant children.
A graduate of Merrimack College and Suffolk Law School, Slavit Baylis has volunteered with the Lawyer of the Day program at Essex Probate Court and previously served as deputy campaign coordinator for the Massachusetts Democratic Party. She is an active member of the Marblehead Democratic Town Committee and has testified in support of gun violence prevention legislation.
Slavit Baylis is the youngest daughter of former Haverhill Harbormaster William “Red” Slavit. She said she looks forward to engaging voters across the district about their priorities and what she can offer as their representative on the council.
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