CANDIDATES and their supporters spent all day Tuesday holding signs outside the polls to encourage participation in the annual Town Election. Those still standing at 7 p.m. included, front row, kneeling, l-r: Noah Spicer and Liane Gonzalez; back row, standing, l-r: David Rudloff, Jeff Friedman, Kristen O’Mara, Ken Tarr, Jodi Cloney, Tracey Coste and Bill Cushing-Candelario. (Maureen Doherty Photo)

 


14% voter turnout in Town Election

 

By MAUREEN DOHERTY

NORTH READING — Jeffrey Friedman and Noelle Rudloff were elected to their first terms on the School Committee in Tuesday’s annual Town Election, with both tallying over 800 votes according to the unofficial results posted by the Town Clerk’s office as the Transcript went to press.

The School Committee race was the only contested race on the ballot among five newcomers, one of whom decided to withdraw in mid-April, two weeks after the ballots were printed. The high interest in this race led to the higher than typical voter turnout of 14 percent for a local election. Back in 2019 and 2018, for example, fewer than 5 percent of the town electorate went to the polls.

Out of 11,859 registered voters, 1,607 voters came to the polls to cast their ballots for their candidates of choice in 2022.

The School Committee race became wide open after three-term committee member Janene Imbriano and one-term committee member Chris Pappavaselio both opted not to run for re-election.

Rudloff topped the ticket as she garnered 873 votes while Friedman polled 807 votes. Coming in a close third was Kristen O’Mara with 647 votes. She was followed by Jodi Cloney who got 583 votes. There were 166 blanks cast and John Barrette got 132 votes after announcing his withdrawal from the race. There were also six write-ins.

 

FAMILY AFFAIR. The Valdez family went to the polls at St. Theresa’s church hall to vote together Tuesday night. Minoska and Pablo Valdez brought their children, Leland, 8, and Abigail, 5, to teach them of the importance of participating in the voting process at a young age. (Maureen Doherty Photo)

 

Select Board

On the docket for the Select Board, Liane Gonzalez and Richard Wallner both ran unopposed for their second three-year terms.

Gonzalez got 1,210 votes, slightly edging Wallner at 1,153. There were also 778 blanks cast and one write-in candidate, Jeremy Griffin, got 46 votes. An additional 27 write-in votes were also cast.

 

VOTER Paul Correia (right) prepares to deposit in ballot into the voting machine with assistance from Precinct 2 poll worker Geoff Bemiss in Tuesday’s annual Town Election (Maureen Doherty Photo)

 

 

CPC 

Two candidates ran unopposed for the Community Planning Commission (CPC). Incumbent Chairman Warren R. Pearce Jr. polled 1,242 votes. Pearce was first elected to the CPC on May 5, 1992 and he as now completed 30 years in office.

David Rudloff was re-elected to his second three-year term to the CPC with 1,239 votes. Three years ago, he got 347 votes in his first bid for elective office. He is the husband of new School Committee member Noelle Rudloff. At the very least, this is the first time in several decades that a husband and wife served on two different elected boards at the same time in town. There were 729 blanks and four write-in candidates.

 

VOTER Michelle Lopilato deposits her ballot into the voting machine at Precinct 1 Tuesday night. She was among the 14% of the town’s registered voters who took the time to cast a ballot in the annual Town Election. (Maureen Doherty Photo)

 

 

Housing Authority

Michele Mawn, the incumbent Housing Authority member who ran unopposed for the three-year term left on the five-year seat previously held by Mary Prenney, was elected with 1,229 votes. There were 377 blanks and one write-in.

Sherri Greer was elected to her first five-year term on the Housing Authority with 1,237 votes. She was also unopposed and there were 367 blanks and three write-ins.

Town Moderator

Incumbent Town Moderator John J. Murphy was re-elected to his 18th consecutive one-year term with 1,245 votes. There were 350 blanks and 12 write-ins cast.