SOUTHWICK – On Tuesday, the Annual Town Election was held in the Southwick Town Hall Auditorium. However, despite being an election, there were very few choices registered voters had on the ballot and a mere 266 (3.94%) of the registered 6,749 voters cast a ballot.
Of the 13 boards or committees with seats to fill on the ballot, there ended up being just one contest with multiple candidates and that was on the district school committee which had three people running to fill two seats. Jeffrey Houle, who was running for re-election was up against Jessica Boldyga, a Republican candidate and Chelsea Berry who ran a write-in campaign.
Houle and Boldyga secured enough votes to take those seats on the school committee.
The Annual Town Election took place at the town hall on Tuesday. (WNG File Photo)
The lack of contested seats was something that some residents were concerned about.
“It’s very sad,” said Southwick resident Karen Reidl. “We have good people.”
Another voter on their way out of the town hall felt that with a lot of young families in town and people living busy lives, the strong desire to run in the election is absent.
“People are busy,” said a resident who wished to stay anonymous. “There’s just a lack of interest.”
One man casting his ballot, who also requested anonymity, thinks there is interest from individuals in the community but not enough desire to put their name in the ballot.
“I find it hard to believe that there isn’t anyone trying to contest any of these spots,” he said.
A few of the notable town positions whose incumbents ran unopposed were, Russ Fox (Select Board), Alan Hoyt (Assessor), Bobbie Jo Thibault (Assessor), Luther Hosmer (Water Commission), and James Putnam II (Moderator).
Republican candidate Michelle Ackerman was the only non-incumbent candidate to fill the vacant seat for a five-year term on the Planning Board.
