Salem Congressional Candidate Submits Signatures For Democratic Primary Ballot

SALEM, MA — Salem veterinarian and former State Department employee and Congressional staffer Mariah Lancaster is in line to appear on the Sept. 1 Democratic primary ballot for U.S. Representative after they said they submitted more than 3,000 signatures from cities and towns across the district on Tuesday.

"Thank you so much to everyone who signed my papers," she said in a social media announcement. "And we're off to the races."

• U.S. Congressional Democratic Candidate Forum At Swampscott High School

Candidates must submit 2,000 valid signatures certified by municipalities within the district and then file a written acceptance of the nomination with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

"This movement isn't about one person," Lancaster said. "This is a step toward universal healthcare, equitable education, clean energy, and combating the rampant corruption eroding the heart of our democracy.

"To fight for working people, we have to send working people to Congress. Now, the race really begins."

Lancaster is one of six Democratic candidates set to appear in a Congressional Candidate Forum at Swampscott High School on Thursday.

Lancaster said they trained as an emergency veterinarian and worked across New England, grappling with student loans while filling staffing gaps to keep veterinary hospitals open during the pandemic.

Helping families in times of crisis, Lancaster said they saw firsthand how rising prices push care out of reach for families, forcing them to choose between saving the life of a beloved pet and putting food on the table.

Lancaster served as a foreign affairs officer at the State Department, and then as a staffer in Congress, helping Democratic Congresswomen shape policy on issues from agriculture to national security.

While in Washington, they continued to help families and their pets by working nights and weekends at the local emergency veterinary hospital.

Lancaster then moved into non-profit government affairs, leveraging their skills and experience to work across party lines and advocate for changes in the federal government.