Published April 9, 2020
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING —There is no doubt that we are living in unprecedented times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the devastating losses of life and extreme illnesses it has caused worldwide to those stricken with it, the precautions society has had to rapidly enact in an attempt to keep it at bay have also raised havoc with people’s lives and livelihoods.
In short, COVID-19 is rapidly re-writing the way our society conducts every aspect of our lives, from our interpersonal relationships to how we school our children and navigate our work and leisure activities.
It is also affecting the way we govern ourselves. So on Monday night, during the second remote meeting held by the Select Board to maintain social distancing standards, it was voted, out of necessity, to postpone the annual Town Election from Tuesday, May 5 to Tuesday, June 23. It was also voted by the board to reduce the hours at the polls from noon to 6 p.m. Both votes were unanimous.
These actions were made possible due to the State of Emergency declared by executive order of Gov. Charlie Baker last month, which led to the Acts of 2020 enacted by the state legislature. These various acts are designed to enable local and state governments to continue to function.
There are no contested races in this year’s Town Election and only one seat is up in each office, rather than two, so it is not too big of an imposition to move it and use this as a test case for how future elections could be affected by similar needs for delays. As Town Clerk Barbara Stats pointed out the turnout for Town Elections such as this, without a contested race, is typically less than 5 percent of the town’s more than 11,000 voters.
The one person the election delay will affect the most is Select Board member Andrew Schultz, who is not running for re-election but whose term will be automatically extended until the election is held. The remaining four candidates are running for re-election to their positions on the planning board, school committee, housing authority and town moderator.
At Monday’s meeting Schultz said that “there is no one who wants this election to be over” more than he does, but he added, “I cannot in good conscience vote to have it early… there is no reason why this cannot be delayed.”
It was pointed out several times by the members that the poll workers, most of whom are retirees and in the age bracket where they should be the most concern about practicing social distancing to protect themselves from this virus, need to be protected.
Schultz said, “I feel we would have blood on our hands if we did not hold this election later” and even one poll worker got ill.
Select Board Chairwoman Kate Manupelli agreed that the board should “take every precaution” available to them.
In addition to holding the election later, Town Clerk Barbara Stats also requested that the polls be open for a shorter amount of time — from 12 noon to 6 p.m. Doing doing so would mean she would only need to use one shift of her poll workers. Ordinarily, the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. But Stats explained the only rule from the state is that the polls must be open for at least four hours and must be open by at least noon.
In response to a question posed by Select Board member Steve O’Leary, Stats said she needs “a full complement of election workers” for each shift and each precinct; and she cannot combine precincts. At a minimum, she will need five workers for each of the four precincts.
O’Leary also asked if masks and gloves will be provided to the election workers. “We will certainly try… we have to do something to protect them but I will be depending on the Board of Health” for that guidance and protection, Stats said.
Absentee and Early Voting
Even though the hours at the polls will be shortened all voters will have the option to vote either absentee or do Early Voting by mail. The only requirement for receiving a ballot in the mail in advance of the election would be for the voters to submit a letter making such a request and making sure that the letter is signed and the address is correct. Every member of the household requesting a ballot must sign the letter, she said. Voters can also go to the town’s website and download an application, sign it, and mail it, fax it or drop it off at Town Hall (there is a drop box at the front door if Town Hall is not open).
Ballots must be returned prior to the polls closing. Stats said that her office would advertise these options to the public well in advance so no one is caught unaware.
Special Town Meeting delay
More good news for the town came last Friday when the Legislature voted to allow an extension of time for Town Meetings as well. Both Rep. Brad Jones and Sen. Bruce Tarr made sure the bill signed into law April 3 included language to extend the 120-day right of first refusal for communities, like North Reading, that are considering acquiring privately-owned forest, agricultural or recreational land under Chapter 61A.
The language extends the current timeframe by an additional 90 days from the date the State of Emergency is lifted. This buys North Reading crucial time to vote whether or not to buy the Seven Acres Poultry Farm. As Town Administrator Mike Gilleberto pointed out, it is possible that the Special Town Meeting (STM) could be held on the same date as the scheduled annual Town Meeting, Monday, June 8. There are multiple options available if that is the case, all of which will be discussed at their next meeting on Monday, April 13. The board members wanted to get Town Counsel’s opinion first prior to making such a decision.
But on the upside for the town, it could mean that a STM would not be required if it was part of the warrant for June Town Meeting, which would eliminate the need for a quorum of 150. Or, a STM could be held within a regular Town Meeting format.