Residents hoping to cast a vote for a Democratic candidate next Tuesday will have to write in their names.
Due to confusion over timing, the Democratic Town Committee did not file its paperwork in time to be included on the May 8 ballot.
Committee Chairperson Beth Malone said there was “miscommunication” and took responsibility for the mistake.
Rather than dwell on the issue, the Committee is trying to move forward and get the word out that there are Democrats seeking election. In fact, nearly every candidate for School Committee is running as a Democrat.
“The entire (current) School Committee was on our slate,” said Malone. “The whole committee is up for a vote because of regionalization.”
There is one independent candidate for a three-year School Committee seat. There is also one contested Democrat-Republican race for the Housing Authority seat. Incumbent J. Patrick Ayotte, a Democrat, is facing Republican challenger, Sharon Horacek, for a seat on the Housing Authority.
Malone said she did not want to discuss the politics behind the problem of why the Democrats are not on the ballot.
“It’s time to put Southwick first,” she said. “It’s unfortunate.”
Select Board Chairman Fred Arnold, who is seeking re-election and being challenged by Independent candidate Tracy Cesan, said it was ” a shame.”
“I feel bad for the candidates that are running and now have to have their names written in,” he said.
Selectman Russell Fox said he spoke with two town registrars who said next year they planned to return to a former process where the town clerk meets with the parties to discuss how to file papers.
“I think that’s going to resolve a lot of problems,” said Fox.
Cesan said it has tarnished the democratic process.
“There are a lot of people who work hard to volunteer on these boards and commissions and now they will be left off of the ballot, I feel this challenge has taken away a bit of the democratic process,” Cesan said. “I wish all candidates well in the up coming election and hope the people whose names were taken off the official ballot have found a way for their voices to be heard. I know I will be writing in a lot of names come election day.”
The Democratic Town Committee is sending postcards to regular Democratic voters this week listing the names of candidates to write in. Those candidates are as follows:
J. Patrick Ayotte for Housing Authority, Daniel Call for Parks and Recreation Commission, Jerome Azia for Board of Health, Suzanne Davis for Library Board of Trustees, Daniel Call for Parks and Recreation Commission, and Charles Condron, Jeffrey Houle, George LeBlanc, Jean McGivney-Burelle and James Vincent for School Committee.
