By Beth David, Editor
The annual election for town offices in both Fairhaven and Acushnet will be held on Monday, April 1, 2019.
For both towns Thursday, 2/7/19, at 5 p.m. is the deadline for requesting nomination papers. Mon. 2/11/19, at 5 p.m. is the deadline for turning in nomination papers to the town clerk’s office. Wed., 2/27/19 is the last day to withdraw papers.
In Fairhaven Town Meeting member incumbents have until Monday, 2/4 to file a written request for re-election with the Town Clerk.
Tuesday, March 12, 2019, is the last day to register to vote for the town election. The Town Clerk’s office in both towns will be open until 8 p.m. that day.
In Fairhaven you may register to vote any day from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Fairhaven Town Clerk’s Office, Town Hall, 40 Center Street, Fairhaven.
In Acushnet, you may register to vote at the Town Clerk’s Office, Parting Ways Building, 130 Main St., Acushnet, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., Tuesdays 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. Fridays 8:00 a.m.11:30 a.m.
Mail-in voter registration forms are available at both Town Clerk’s Offices, the Millicent Library in Fairhaven, and state and federal offices throughout Massachusetts. You may also register to vote online at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/
After picking up nomination papers at the Town Clerk’s office, candidates must gather the proper number of signatures to appear on the ballot. In Fairhaven, to vote at Town Meeting, you must be a member. You must get nomination papers and gather 10 certified signatures from YOUR precinct only.
Acushnet has an open Town Meeting, where any registered voter can vote.
For Townwide Offices
In Fairhaven papers for townwide office require 50 certified signatures.
In Acushnet, papers for townwide office require 43 certified signatures.
Candidates should speak with their town clerk for details.
Contacts
If you have any questions about running for office or registering to vote, contact your town’s Town Clerk’s office.
Fairhaven: office or registering to vote, 508-979-4023, Ext. 3; at Town Hall, 40 Center Street.
Acushnet: 508-998-0215; Parting Ways Building, 130 Main Street, Acushnet (adjacent to Town Hall).
Changes from last week
As of press time, there were only a few changes from last week’s update, but a couple of interesting ones. In Fairhaven, Frank Coelho pulled papers and returned them for a seat on the Board of Public Works, making it a contest between him and Al Martin for a seat currently held by Mike Ristuccia, who has not taken out papers for re-election, but has taken out papers for the Planning Board.
Diane Hahn pulled papers for a seat on the School Committee, making it a three-way race for two seats. Both incumbents, Michael McNamara and Stasia Powers, have pulled papers for their seats, but no one has returned papers yet.
Barbara Acksen has taken out papers for re-election to her seat on the Commission of Trust Funds; and Planning Board member Wayne Hayward has returned papers for his seat.
Information on changes in Acushnet were not available by press time
•••
Support local journalism, donate to the Neighb News at: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=Y6V5ARRYH689G
Click here to download the entire 1/24/19 issue: 01-31-19 FhvnVideos
