By Beth David, Editor
Fairhaven’s annual election is slated for April 5, 2021 (COVID permitting) and nomination papers are available until February 10. Candidates for townwide office need to take out nomination papers and collect 50 signatures of registered voters, and return the papers by 2/12.
Up for re-election this year is Bob Espindola for Selectboard. As of Monday, 1/25, he had not taken out nomination papers. Leon Correy and Lisa Plante have pulled papers for that seat. Ms. Plante returned hers on 12/7/20, Mr. Correy has not returned his.
School Committee has two seats up. Incumbents Donna McKenna and Colin Veitch have taken out papers, but neither has returned them. Cathleen Marchessault has also taken out papers for School Committee, and has not returned them.
The Board of Public Works also has two seats up for election, with incumbents Robert “Hoppy” Hobson and Marcus Ferro on the ballot. Both men have taken out papers; Mr. Hobson has returned his.
The Board of Health has one vacant seat up for election. The seat is currently held by Geoffrey Haworth who was appointed to fill the vacancy when Michael Silvia quit abruptly last year. Mr. Haworth has publicly announced that he does not intend to run for the seat. Kevin Gallagher has pulled papers and returned them. Barbara Acksen has also pulled papers for the seat, but she had not returned them by 1/25.
On the Planning Board, Cathy Melanson and Jay Malaspino are up for re-election. Ms. Melanson has pulled papers, Mr. Malspino has not.
Planning Board also has one seat with a unexpired term due to a vacancy. Jessica Fidalgo, who has been appointed to fill that position, has pulled papers to run, but has not returned them yet.
Housing Authority has one slot up for re-election, and will also have one unexpired term on the ballot. Both slots were filled by appointment in December due to vacancies. Ronnie Manzone has taken out papers for her seat; and Marc Scanlon has taken out and returned papers for his seat.
Town Moderator Mark Sylvia is also up for re-election. He has taken out papers for his seat, but has not returned them.
Tree Warden G. Bourne Knowles is also up for re-election, but has not taken out papers for his seat. Don Carlos Callasius has taken out and returned papers for that seat.
After papers are returned, candidates have until March 3 to withdraw.
All signatures must be certified by the clerk’s office, so candidates are advised to collect more than 50 to be sure they have enough.
Voters have until Tuesday, 3/16, to register to vote in the town election. The clerk’s office will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. that day.
Town Meeting members need 10 certified signatures from their precinct. Current TM members need to file a written request to be on the ballot by February 10 at 5 p.m. Precinct one has seven vacancies; precinct two has 22 vacancies; precinct three has 12 vacancies; precinct four has 13 vacancies; precinct five has no vacancies; precinct six has nine vacancies.
For more information on how to run for office in Fairhaven, contact the Town Clerk’s office at 508-979-4023, Ext. 3. Visit https://www.fairhaven-ma.gov/town-clerk/pages/annual-town-election-2021
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