I write about an event that wastes money and insults our citizens. That event is a Primary election. According to a Westfield City Council member the election costs $30,000. The insult to voters IQ is that we are asked to vote for 1 of 3 or more candidates for an office in the September primary. What happens to voter IQ which doesn’t allow them to vote for 1 of 3 or more candidates in November??? By having only the November election we have more time to learn about the candidates running for office. I hope that the legal source of the primary, be it State or local edict, eliminate the Primary election. – Bill Duval, Westfield
According to the Westfield City Clerk’s office, preliminary elections have been established as part of the City Charter. To remove preliminary elections would be a political process to adjust the City Charter. If this is something you would like changed we suggest you contact members of the City Council. Below is the official language regarding preliminary elections but in a nut shell a preliminary is determined if there are twice the number of open seats, plus one (or more) of people to be elected running. For example, there is one mayoral seat so if 3 people are running (twice the number of open seats, plus one (or more)) then a preliminary is needed to pare the field to 2. A preliminary for At Large Council would be triggered if 15 or more certified candidates were running since there are 7 available seats (twice the number of open seats, plus one (or more)). Due dates to either submit paperwork to run for elected office or choosing to withdraw have not been reached yet so the decision to hold a preliminary election has not been made. Stick with The Westfield News to learn if and when that may happen.
Section 21. – Selection of candidates for biennial or special city election; official ballot.
· Except as provided by section 22, the 2 persons at a preliminary election receiving the highest number of votes for nomination for an office shall be the sole candidates for that office whose names may be printed on the official ballot to be used at the biennial or special election at which such office is to be filled and no acceptance of a nomination at a preliminary election shall be necessary to validate such candidacy; provided, however, that a person nominated at a preliminary election may withdraw such person’s name from nomination by a request signed and duly acknowledged by such person and filed with the city clerk within 6 days succeeding 5 o’clock in the afternoon of the day of such preliminary election. If a nominee withdraws such person’s name from nomination, the city clerk shall replace that person’s name with the name of the candidate with the next highest number of votes in such preliminary election.
If 2 or more persons are to be elected to the same office at a biennial or special election, then the number of persons equal to twice the number to be elected for such office who received the highest number of votes for nomination for that office or all such persons, if less than twice the number of those so to be elected, shall be the sole candidates whose names may be printed on the official ballot for that office.
If the preliminary election results in a tie vote among candidates for nomination receiving the lowest number of votes, which, but for such tie vote, would entitle a person receiving that number of votes to have his name printed upon the official ballot for the election, all candidates receiving such a tie vote shall have their names printed upon the official ballot, notwithstanding that the number of candidates on the official ballot may exceed twice the number to be elected.
· Section 22. – Preliminary election not to be held in absence of sufficient candidates.
If, at the expiration of the time for filing statements of candidates to be voted for at any preliminary election, not more than twice as many such statements have been filed with the city clerk for the office of mayor, councilor at-large, director or trustee of the Westfield Athenaeum or school committee as there are candidates to be elected to said offices respectively, the candidates whose statements have thus been filed shall be deemed to have been nominated to said offices, respectively. The city clerk shall not print such candidates’ names upon the ballot to be used at the preliminary election, no other nomination to such offices shall be made and such candidates’ names shall be printed on the official ballot to be used at the biennial or special election.
If, in any ward at the expiration of the time for filing statements of candidates to be voted for at any preliminary election, not more than twice as many such statements have been filed with the city clerk for the office of councilor from such ward as are to be elected, the candidates whose statements have thus been filed shall be deemed to have been nominated. The city clerk shall not print such names upon the ballot to be used at the preliminary election, no other nominations to such offices shall be made and such candidates’ names shall be printed on the official ballot to be used at the biennial or special election. If the city clerk determines that no names are to be printed upon the official ballot to be used at any preliminary election in any ward of the city, no preliminary election shall be held in that ward.
