Buckley returns papers for School Committee

Published February 20, 2020

By MAUREEN DOHERTY

NORTH READING — Housing Authority member Mary Prenney pulled nomination papers to retain her town seat on the board February 13. It is the only five-year seat on the May 5 Town Election ballot.

Prenney also serves as the town’s Director of Elder Services.

Incumbent School Committee Chairman Scott Buckley was the first candidate to announce his reelection bid back on January 21. He was also the first candidate to return those papers with 50 certified signatures of town voters who endorse his nomination, on February 18.

Nomination papers must be returned to the Town Clerk’s office for certification by Tuesday, March 17 at 5 p.m., accompanied by the signatures of at least 50 eligible North Reading voters before a candidate is officially on the ballot for the May 5 election.

Elective offices for 2020

To date, there is now at least one candidate for each of the four boards plus the town moderator’s position on the May 5 ballot.

The other incumbents who pulled nomination papers seeking re-election are Community Planning Commission (CPC) member Christopher Hayden and Town Moderator John J. Murphy. They are joined by Select Board candidate Vincenzo Stuto in his first bid for elective office. He announced his candidacy after Andrew Schultz stated publicly that he would not be seeking a second term on the Select Board.

Offices open in the election are listed below. Incumbents are listed in parenthesis.

• One seat for a three-year term on the Select Board (Andrew Schultz);

• One seat for a three-year term on the School Committee (Scott Buckley);

• One seat for a three-year term on the Community Planning Commission (Christopher Hayden);

• One seat for a one-year term for Town Moderator (John Murphy);

• One seat for a five-year term on the Housing Authority (Mary Prenney).

After a candidate is certified as eligible to run for the position sought, the last day the candidate can choose to withdraw his or her name from the ballot is Thursday, April 2 at 5 p.m.

Candidates for any municipal office are required to file campaign finance reports on specific dates per the provisions of Mass. General Laws Chapter 55. Those with questions about this process may contact the state’s Office of Campaign and Political Finance for assistance by phone: 617-727-8352, email: ocpf@cpf.state.ma.us or visit the website at www.mass.gov/ocpf.

For additional assistance the public may also call the Town Clerk’s office at 978-357-5218.

Voter registration deadlines

The last day a resident of the town can register to vote in the May 5 annual town election is Wednesday, April 15 at 8 p.m.

February 12 was the last day voters could register or change their party affiliation for the Presidential Primary on “Super Tuesday,” March 3.

Residents may check their voter status, party and precinct by visiting the state website: www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx

Voters registered as Democrat, Republican, Libertarian or Green-Rainbow may only receive their party’s ballot in the Presidential Primary, according to Town Clerk Barbara Stats while unenrolled voters and those registered in various minor political designations may choose any one of the above four ballots and will automatically revert back to their original status following the primary.

Inactive voters will be required to complete an affidavit of current residency and are required to provide identification with their name and North Reading voting address at the polls.

Early Voting opens Monday at Town Hall

Early Voting is available for the March 3 Presidential Primary but not for the town election May 5.

Polls will be open at Town Hall for Early Voting next Monday through Friday, February 24 to 28 — during the regular office hours of the Town Hall, 235 North St. These Early Voting hours were determined by the Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin.

According to the Town Clerk, election workers will be ready to greet voters at Town Hall Monday through Thursday (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and Friday (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.) on those dates. Follow the signs past the Town Clerk’s office to the room set aside for this purpose.

In addition, extended Early Voting hours will be offered on Tuesday evening, February 25, from 4 to 7 p.m.

No Saturday Early Voting hours were scheduled for this election by Galvin.

Absentee ballot option

For those who will be out of town of election day and who cannot participate in Early Voting, absentee ballots for the Presidential Primary are available now. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Monday, March 2 at 12 noon. All absentee ballots must be returned before the polls close at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3.

Application links for absentee ballots are available on the town website, www.northreadingma.gov or stop by the Town Clerk’s office to fill out an application.

Presidential Primary ballots

All Presidential Primary ballots are now posted on the Town Clerk’s website at: www.northreadingma.gov/town-clerk.