By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING —Tuesday, May 3 is Election Day in North Reading. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
As a reminder, all four precincts vote at one central polling place at St. Theresa’s Parish Hall at 51 Winter Street (enter from the westerly side of the parking lot closest to Kitty’s and drive around the rear of the building, parking either in the rear lot or easterly lot and enter from that door).
For those who haven’t had this Town Election on their radar, the 2022 slate of candidates includes contested races for the School Committee by a slate of newcomers who have not held elective office in the past.
Jodi Cloney, Jeff Friedman, Kristen O’Mara and Noelle Rudloff are each seeking election to one of two available three-year terms on the School Committee. Both incumbents chose not to seek re-election. Janene Imbriano had served three three-year terms while Chris Pappavaselio served one three-year term.
A fifth School Committee candidate, John Barrette, has indicated his intention to withdraw from the race to the Transcript; however, upon checking with Town Clerk Sue Duplin, although Barrette had inquired about the process involved in withdrawing last week he had not submitted an official letter notifying her office of his intention to withdraw as of press time.
Barrette’s name will still appear on the ballot because the deadline for any candidate to withdraw from the race was March 31. The ballots have to be printed and the election warrant approved by the Select Board. It is then posted in each precinct by a constable. The Select Board signed off on the election warrant on April 11.
Several uncontested races
Also on the ballot are seven uncontested races for Select Board, Community Planning Commission, Town Moderator and Housing Authority.
• Liane Gonzalez and Richard Wallner are both seeking re-election to their second three-year terms on the Select Board.
• Warren R. Pearce Jr. and David Rudloff are both seeking re-election to three-year terms on the Community Planning Commission (CPC). Pearce has served on the CPC since 1992; Rudloff is seeking his second three-year term.
• John J. Murphy is seeking his 18th consecutive one-year term as Town Moderator.
• Michele Mawn is seeking re-election to the Housing Authority, but chose to run for the remaining three years of Mary Prenney’s five-year term rather than a full five-year term.
• Sherri Greer is seeking election to her first five-year term on the Housing Authority, which is the seat currently held by Main.
Absentee voting
There is no early voting for this election this year.
Applications for absentee ballots were due yesterday (April 27). Anyone who obtained an absentee ballot may drop it off at the Town Clerk’s office by noon on Monday, May 2 if you prefer not to mail it. The after-hours ballot drop off box is the red, white and blue striped mailbox mounted outside the main entrance to Town Hall, 235 North St. The same deadline applies: noon on Monday, May 2, after which time it will be locked.
Candidates’ Statements
For 65 years, the Transcript has encouraged townspeople to vote in every election, local or otherwise, to make their voices heard, regardless of the number of contested races, out of respect for the offices on the ballot and the hundreds of hours each candidate is willing to give up on behalf of their friends and neighbors throughout their term.
This newspaper has also always offered free of charge an opportunity for each candidate to submit a candidate’s statement to introduce themselves to their potential constituents in the edition closest to the election. These statements appear elsewhere in today’s paper.
This year, both the Democratic and Republican Town Committees held separate meet and greet nights with the candidates. The Transcript also presented a Candidate Forum April 13 with questions posed to five School Committee candidates by a panel of three high school seniors. The questions were sent in anonymously by both students and the public at large.
Four of the unopposed candidates also presented two-minute introductions of themselves: Warren Pearce, David Rudloff, Sherri Greer and Rich Wallner. This forum was broadcast live by NORCAM and is currently available via YouTube.
For additional information
Those with questions about their precinct may log in at www.northreadingma.gov/town-clerk to check their voting status and voting location, including precinct. Votes must have been registered to vote by April 13 to participate in this election.
Additional town election information can be found on the Town Clerk’s website at: www.northreadingma.gov/town-clerk.
The public may also contact the Town Clerk’s Office for any additional information or questions at 978-357-5218.
