John DaCruz and Linda Stec DiSanti are also running for the post.
Thomas M. AsheSPRINGFIELD – City Councilor Thomas M. Ashe is running for Hampden Superior Court Clerk.
Ashe, a Democratic candidate, said Thursday he has submitted over 1,250 signatures to the Springfield office of the Massachusetts Secretary of State.
Ashe said he is grateful to his supporters “for their diligence in completing the signature portion of the campaign.”
“I am fortunate to be surrounded by a great group of family and friends that worked very hard in collecting the necessary signatures,” he said.
Ashe is a lifelong resident of Springfield, currently in his second term on the City Council after serving 10 years on the School Committee.
Ashe said his 18 years in the correctional field is the “motivator” for his run for clerk.
“Having spent 10 years at the Hampden County House of Correction, many as a supervisor in the classification department specifically in the area of sentence computation, and currently as the director of a community corrections program for the Worcester County sheriff, I have a wealth of experience in working with judges, attorneys, probation officials and district attorneys,” he said.
“Hitting the ground running and evaluating the operation of the clerk’s office is critical in determining the effectiveness of the office going forward,” Ashe said.
He said the steady flow of cases through Hampden Superior Court, one of the busiest in the state, is what the people of the county expect.
Ashe said strong relationships with the local legislative delegation is a key component in advocating for the needs of the office.
“Having worked in public life for 15 years, I have forged strong relationships with members of the general court that will be important as I analyze the funding requirements of the clerk’s office,” Ashe said.
He said the public demands open and efficient government and he will ensure that is the practice of the clerk’s office.
Ashe said annually overseeing and approving municipal budgets in the hundreds of millions of dollars, this year over $500 million, has prepared him to look at all areas of operating budgets to determine cost effectiveness.
Ashe is a graduate of Cathedral High School and Assumption College in Worcester.
He is a former board member of the Carew Street Boys Club and the Zoo at Forest Park.
Two other Democrats have announced they are running for the clerk post, which will be left vacant as current clerk Brian P. Lees is not seeking reelection.
Ashe become the third person to announce a run for the position.
One is lawyer and former Ludlow selectman John DaCruz; the other is Linda A. Stec DiSanti of Chicopee, legal administrator/office manager at DiSanti Law Offices in West Springfield.
Nomination papers must be turned in to the Secretary of State’s Office by May 29. But May 1 is the last day for candidates to submit signatures to city and town election offices for certification of signatures.