Published March 28, 2019
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — With just over six weeks remaining until the town’s annual election on Tuesday, May 7 now is a good time to remind all candidates for elective office of the Transcript’s decades-old tradition of inviting office seekers to submit one biographical piece about themselves, along with a photograph, and their reasons for seeking elective office.
Candidate’s statements are accepted from all office-seekers, not just those in contested races, as a means to provide a forum to introduce yourself to members of the public who have not had the opportunity to meet you and learn where you stand on topics pertinent to the community. There is no charge.
Each candidate’s statement can be of any length you deem necessary (but if we feel it’s too long, we reserve the right to edit it for space)
During the campaign, each candidate may also submit one letter to our Letters to the Editor forum if you want to discuss your opinions on the various issues facing the town.
Supporters of candidates may also submit Letters to the Editor. While we will not put any limits on the number of support letters per candidate, we will limit each author to one letter of support per candidate being endorsed.
Our only request is that you keep the tone of the letters civil and submit them by noon on Monday, or earlier, for publication in the next edition.
Letters to the Editor and candidate’s statements may be submitted to the Transcript either by email at NRTranscript@RCN.com or U.S. Mail (26 Albion St., Wakefield, MA 01880). Electronic word documents are preferred to prevent the need to retype your work. Please provide a daytime phone number for verification purposes only. Phone numbers will not be published without your consent.
To ensure we treat everyone fairly, Friday, April 26 is the deadline for submitting letters to be published in our last edition prior to the town election, which would be Thursday, May 2.
Elective offices for 2019
Eight seats are up for election this year, which includes the Town Moderator (one-year term); Housing Authority (five-year term); and two seats each for three-year terms on the Select Board, School Committee and Community Planning Commission.
In the only contested race there are three candidates for School Committee: incumbent Chairwoman Janene C. Imbriano and newcomers Tracy A. DeGregorio and Chris Pappavaselio.
There are two candidates for two seats on the Select Board, Liane R. Gonzalez and Richard F. Wallner.
There are also two candidates for two seats on the Community Planning Commission (CPC), incumbent Chairman Warren R. Pearce Jr. and David L. Rudloff.
Incumbent Town Moderator John J. Murphy and incumbent Housing Authority member James DeCola are both running unopposed.
Deadline to withdraw or registers to vote
The last day a candidate can choose to withdraw his or her name from the ballot before it goes to print is Thursday, April 4 at 5 p.m.
To participate in the May 7 town election those residents who are not yet registered to vote must do so by the deadline of Wednesday, April 17 at 8 p.m.
While absentee ballots are available for the town election, early voting is not an option in local elections. Those who will be out of town or unable to make it to the polls on election day should contact the Town Clerk’s office to apply for an absentee ballot at 978-357-5218.
