Published March 12, 2020

 By MAUREEN DOHERTY

NORTH READING — Next Tuesday, March 17, is the deadline for candidates in the annual Town Election to submit their nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s office for certification.

With five days remaining in that process, it appears that there will not be any contested races on May 5.

To date, three of the five candidates have returned their papers, which have been certified as having at least 50 signatures of registered voters in town. They are incumbent School Committee Chairman Scott Buckley, incumbent Housing Authority member Mary Prenney and political newcomer Vincenzo Stuto, who is running for the Select Board seat being vacated by incumbent Andrew Schultz. Buckley and Stuto are running for three-year terms while Prenney is running for a five-year term.

The two remaining incumbents are Christopher Hayden, who is running for a three-year term on the Community Planning Commission (CPC) and current Town Moderator John J. Murphy. The moderator’s position is a one-year term.

After a candidate is certified as eligible to run for the position sought, the last day the candidate can choose to withdraw his or her name from the ballot is Thursday, April 2 at 5 p.m.

Town Clerk Barbara Stats reminds residents that the last day they can register to vote in time to participate in the May 5 Town Election is Wednesday, April 15 at 8 p.m.

Additionally, if residents wish to participate in the Special Town Meeting on Monday, May 11, which was called by the Select Board to determine if the town wants to exercise its right of first refusal in the purchase of the Seven Acres Poultry Farm, they must be registered by Friday, May 1.

No EV option

Early Voting is not available for the town election. But voters can apply to vote absentee if they will not be in town on election day.

Those with questions about the Town Election may call the Town Clerk’s office at 978-357-5218.

Super Tuesday update

On Super Tuesday, March 3, the town had a final voter turnout of 39.09% with 4,450 voters out of 11,383 casting a ballot in the presidential primary. Out of that tally, 766 voters chose to vote early, or 6.73% of the electorate.

The result of one local race was not known at press time last week. Local Republican Jeff Yull was running for State Committeeman for the Republican party to represent the First Essex and Middlesex District in a two-way race against Richard A. Baker of West Newbury. There are 17 communities in this district, 16 towns plus the city of Gloucester.

Yull, who is chairman of the North Reading Republican Town Committee, easily won North Reading, 717 to 283, as well as Wilmington (917) and Middleton (177), but he did do as well in the remaining communities.

“I ran on the idea of growing the First Essex and Middlesex District into an effective district promoting Republican values. The results were disappointing in that I will not have a chance to achieve that goal.  My opponent, Rich Baker, will have his hands full in achieving goals that I think are key to the Republican Party regaining its influence within the district. I can only hope he is up to the task,” Yull said.

He added, “To those who cast their valuable vote for me, I thank you for your confidence and faith in me. It humbles me every time people do that on my behalf.”