By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — Interest among potential candidates in the annual Town Election on May 7 has ramped up in the first week since nomination papers became available.
Incumbent School Committee Vice Chair Richard F. McGowan of 46 Chestnut St. was the first to pull papers back on Jan. 16, the first day they became available. He would be seeking his third three-year term upon returning them. There are two seats up for reelection on the school board this year.
On Jan. 17, Nicholas Masse of 1 Rodgers Circle, took out nomination papers for both a three-year term on the School Committee and a three-year term on the Select Board, which is not a common occurrence.
According to Town Clerk Susan Duplin, if Masse were to obtain the minimum of 50 certified signatures of registered town voters for both boards he would have to choose which office he would seek because a person cannot run for and serve on both boards at the same time.
Incumbent Town Moderator John J. Murphy of 13 Duane Drive stepped up to pull papers last Thursday morning, Jan. 18. Town Moderator is the only position on the ballot that always has a one-year term. Murphy has served as moderator for 20 years.
On Tuesday, Jan. 23, Maxwell W. Murphy of 2 Bishops Way pulled nomination papers for one of the two available three-year terms on the Community Planning Commission (CPC).
Voter registration uptick
The town presently has 12,368 registered voters. This is the most recent count available following the voter registration drive last Saturday. Under state law a person must be registered to vote at least 10 days prior to a state or local election in order to vote or to participate in an open Town Meeting, which is the format prescribed by North Reading’s Town Charter.
Therefore Saturday, Jan. 20 was the deadline for any townsperson wishing to participate in the Special Town Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 30 to register to vote. Massachusetts does not allow same-day voting. Unregistered voters may still attend a Town Meeting but they must sit in segregated seating away from the voters so that nonvoters do not participate in voice votes.
Voters and non-voters also wear different colored badges. For non-voters the color is black. The town has ribbons in every color of the rainbow for voters. If a Town Meeting session carries over to another day then another color ribbon is used for that session just in case someone left the prior session without returning their ribbon.
Duplin said nomination papers and candidates’ packets can be picked up at office of the Town Clerk in Town Hall, 235 North St. during normal business hours, Mondays–Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. Nomination papers must be returned no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19. The Town Clerk’s office will remain open an hour later that day.
In order for a candidate to be placed on the ballot, a minimum of 50 certified signatures of registered voters residing in town must be turned in with the nomination papers. It is always recommended that candidates obtain more than the minimum number of signatures in case some cannot be certified by the Town Clerk’s Office.
There are other important deadlines in the Town Election cycle. The deadline to file withdrawals or objections to all nomination papers is Thursday, April 4 at 5 p.m. The last day a resident may register to vote to participate in the May 7 Town Election is Saturday, April 27. The Town Clerk’s office will be open that day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The positions on the ballot in 2024 are:
SELECT BOARD
Two three-year terms. The incumbents up for reelection this year are Kathryn Manupelli and Stephen O’Leary.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Two three-year terms. The incumbents up for reelection this year are Dyana Boutwell and Rich McGowan.
COMMUNITY PLANNING COMMISSION
Two three-year terms. The incumbents up for reelection this year are: Ryan Carroll and Jerimiah Johnston
TOWN MODERATOR
One one-year term. The incumbent is John J. Murphy
HOUSING AUTHORITY
One five-year term: James DeCola
Town Clerk’s contact information
Those with any questions on the Town Election process may call the Town Clerk’s Office at 978-357-5230 or visit the Town Clerk’s page on the town website at northreadingma.gov/town-clerk and look at the right side of the screen where they’ll see the title: “Information to Candidates 2024.”