Two candidates hoping to win election this fall as the next state representative in the Fifth Suffolk House district earned endorsements this week.

On Sunday, Ward 15 Democrats endorsed Danielson “Donny” Tavares, the city of Boston’s chief diversity officer. On Tuesday, Christopher Worrell, assistant director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the Boston Planning & Development Agency, announced that City Councillor-at-Large Julia Mejia is backing his campaign.

The two men spoke to the Dorchester-based Ward 15 Democratic Party Committee during a virtual meeting last Saturday. 

In a statement announcing their endorsement, the committee said Tavares received the necessary two-thirds of the vote. According to the group, “both candidates received compliments on their presentations and qualifications.”  Edward Cook, co-chair of the committee, said that “in the end, it comes down to a vote and a very high threshold of support to be endorsed.”

Said Mejia in a statement: “I am proudly supporting Christopher Worrell for state representative because I’ve seen firsthand the impactful work he’s done in the community. Whether it is direct community action, constituent services, or pushing policy that impacts Black and Brown Bostonians, Christopher has a proven record of doing the work and getting things done.  Christopher knows that we need to raise up all of our communities; and All Means All.”

Said Worrell: “Having Councilor Mejia’s endorsement is a true honor.  Her leadership on so many issues within the community are based in creating greater equity for people of color – from housing and transportation, to education, public health, and economic opportunity.  As state representative, I look forward to working closely with her to advance these shared priorities for Boston.”

Tavares and Worrell are not the only Democrats running to represent the Dorchester-Roxbury district, open because state Rep. Liz Miranda is seeking the Second Suffolk Senate seat.

Althea Garrison, who held the Fifth Suffolk seat for one term in the 1990s as a Republican and has previously re-sought the seat multiple times with varying political party affiliations, is again on the ballot as a Democrat. 

According to the state Elections Department, Garrison was the only candidate certified for the ballot as of Tuesday this week. Both Tavares and Worrell have submitted enough signatures to the Boston Elections Department to qualify for the ballot. Candidates have until May 31 to deliver their nomination papers.