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Two write-in candidates have emerged for the Board of Library Trustees, adding a little more competition to this Saturday’s town election.
Robin Carew and Michael Chalifoux both declared their intent to run as write-in candidates. They join incumbent Joseph D’Amico in a race for two spots on the library board.
Chalifoux lost a bid for the board last year, while Carew has not run for major office in Dedham in the past, says Town Clerk Paul Munchbach.
He told the new candidates that their supporters should write in their first and last names and their address, and fill in the corresponding oval on the ballot Saturday.
“Even if they put in the name and the address is not accurate, then the registrars can still make a determination that the intent of the voter was for that person,” Munchbach says.
The write-in candidates can also attempt to use stickers, but Munchbach says they peel off sometimes as ballots are going through the machine.
“So we tell them to be very cautious using the stickies,” he says.
Besides the library trustees, the only other major contested race is for the Board of Selectmen, where two incumbents and two challengers are vying for two positions.
But “every (town) election costs the same no matter how many people are on the ballot,” says Munchbach, estimating the expense this time will be about $23,000. The town always needs to order one ballot per registered voter, print a separate ballot for each of Dedham’s seven precincts – which will elect Town Meeting representatives – and have the same amount of poll workers, police details, and personnel at Town Hall on Election Day, he says.
Voters will also be presented with one ballot question Saturday – a charter change that would give the town administrator the ability to sign warrants for the payment of town funds instead of selectmen. Special Town Meeting approved the change last November, followed by the attorney general’s office, Munchbach says.
That question and the Town Meeting representatives will be on the back of the ballot; the major offices will be on the front.
The town clerk tentatively estimated that of Dedham’s 16,000 registered voters, between 3,200 and 3,500 – or 20 to 22 percent – will turn out for the election.
“The selectmen’s race usually draws a consistent amount of registered voters,” he says. “We would love a lot more, but we’re just not sure on the amount of voter interest.”
Dedham Transcript staff writer Edward B. Colby can be reached at 781-433-8336 or ecolby@cnc.com.
Two write-in candidates have emerged for the Board of Library Trustees, adding a little more competition to this Saturday’s town election.
Robin Carew and Michael Chalifoux both declared their intent to run as write-in candidates. They join incumbent Joseph D’Amico in a race for two spots on the library board.
Chalifoux lost a bid for the board last year, while Carew has not run for major office in Dedham in the past, says Town Clerk Paul Munchbach.
He told the new candidates that their supporters should write in their first and last names and their address, and fill in the corresponding oval on the ballot Saturday.
“Even if they put in the name and the address is not accurate, then the registrars can still make a determination that the intent of the voter was for that person,” Munchbach says.
The write-in candidates can also attempt to use stickers, but Munchbach says they peel off sometimes as ballots are going through the machine.
“So we tell them to be very cautious using the stickies,” he says.
Besides the library trustees, the only other major contested race is for the Board of Selectmen, where two incumbents and two challengers are vying for two positions.
But “every (town) election costs the same no matter how many people are on the ballot,” says Munchbach, estimating the expense this time will be about $23,000. The town always needs to order one ballot per registered voter, print a separate ballot for each of Dedham’s seven precincts – which will elect Town Meeting representatives – and have the same amount of poll workers, police details, and personnel at Town Hall on Election Day, he says.
Voters will also be presented with one ballot question Saturday – a charter change that would give the town administrator the ability to sign warrants for the payment of town funds instead of selectmen. Special Town Meeting approved the change last November, followed by the attorney general’s office, Munchbach says.
That question and the Town Meeting representatives will be on the back of the ballot; the major offices will be on the front.
The town clerk tentatively estimated that of Dedham’s 16,000 registered voters, between 3,200 and 3,500 – or 20 to 22 percent – will turn out for the election.
“The selectmen’s race usually draws a consistent amount of registered voters,” he says. “We would love a lot more, but we’re just not sure on the amount of voter interest.”
Dedham Transcript staff writer Edward B. Colby can be reached at 781-433-8336 or ecolby@cnc.com.
