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Date: 1/30/2024
EASTHAMPTON — State Rep. Dan Carey (D-Easthampton) has announced his candidacy for the Hampshire County Clerk of Courts, with an official announcement set for Saturday, Feb. 17, at Hotel Northampton.
Elected to the Massachusetts Legislature in 2018, Carey serves on the Judiciary Committee, the Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, the Joint Committee on Election Laws and is the vice chair of the House Committee on Post Audit and Oversight. Carey’s district covers Easthampton, South Hadley, Granby and Hadley.
“Harry Jekanowski has done a great job as our Clerk of Courts for many years. I hope to build on the accomplishments of Harry and his staff as the Hampshire County Superior Court prepares for the second half of the 21st century,” Carey said.
Carey told Reminder Publishing in seeing Jekanowski set to retire, he felt the position was perfect for him as it combines his passion for public service and his love of the law.
“It’s just the right timing with that position being open. I love being state rep., I am not running away from that, but I’m excited about a new challenge and a new opportunity,” Carey added.
During his career, Carey has also served as an assistant district attorney and a district court administrator for Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan. He also has previously served on the Easthampton City Council and the Easthampton School Committee.
Carey said his hopes if elected clerk of courts is to continue the work accomplished by Jekanowski and his staff, but with an eye looking toward the future.
“So much of that work is continuing to become electronic and digitalized, and there’s work to be done to assist folks coming through there, whether it’s folks accessing the courthouse for the first time, or attorneys that are in there every day, and making things as smooth and as fair as possible,” Carey said.
Part of the reason he has made the announcement so early in regard to when his term ends was to make sure anyone interested in the district had ample time to prepare for a campaign to become the Second Hampshire District’s newest representative.
“By formally announcing my candidacy for Hampshire County Clerk of Courts on Feb. 17, I hope to give all those interested in running for state representative for the Second Hampshire District sufficient time to organize their campaigns and make their cases to the voters of the district,” Carey said. “It’s such an important position, and especially being a rep from Western Mass. It takes a little extra time, not just with the commute, but making sure that our voices are being heard in Western Mass., and so it’s important that we’re sending the best possible person for this district to the State House.”
Carey said his campaign for the Hampshire County Clerk of Courts will have more information when it is formally announced on Feb. 17, but said for now this was only the beginning of his next steps in public service.