By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — Let the games begin! Tuesday morning was the first day prospective candidates for elective office in the annual Town Election on May 6 could pull nomination papers, and two residents did just that.
As of press time Tuesday, incumbent School Committee member Jeffrey Friedman, 51 Lindor Rd., pulled papers to run for a second three-year term, and Michael Scarlata, 240 Martins Landing, U102, pulled papers to run for one of two seats on the Select Board.
All candidates must submit nomination papers for all town elective offices by Tuesday, March 18 at 5 p.m. for certification of signatures by the Town Clerk’s Office (MGL c53, §7). At least 50 certified town-wide signatures are required and Town Clerk Susan Duplin recommends that all candidates obtain more than 50 in case some of those signatures are not certifiable.
Other important dates in the election season include the deadline for a candidate to file a withdrawal from inclusion on the ballot or for anyone to file objections to nomination papers with the Town Clerk’s Office, which is Thursday, April 3 at 5 p.m. (MGL c53, §11).
Additionally, the deadline to register to vote in the Tuesday, May 6 Town Election is Saturday, April 26 at 5 p.m. (MGL c39, §10). The Town Clerk’s Office will be open from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on deadline day, per state law, or voters may check their status and register to vote online via the state’s website at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/ by the deadline.
2025 TOWN ELECTIVE OFFICES
The elective offices on the May 6 Town Election ballot are as follows:
• Town Moderator, 1-year term – vote for one. (Incumbent is John Murphy.)
• Select Board, 3-year term – vote for two. (Incumbents are Liane Gonzalez and Richard Wallner.)
• School Committee, 3-year term – vote for two. (Incumbents are Jeffrey Friedman and Noelle Rudloff.)
• Community Planning Commission (CPC), 3-year term – vote for two. (Incumbents are David Rudloff and Warren Pearce.)
• Community Planning Commission (CPC), 2-year term – vote for one (to fill a vacancy created after Ryan Carroll moved from town last fall.)
• Housing Authority, 5-year term – vote for one. (Incumbent is Michele Mawn.)
Those with any questions about any aspect of the Town Election may contact the Town Clerk’s Office for more information at www.northreadingma.gov/town-clerk/pages/voting-elections or call 978-357-5230.