Above: If you’re voting by mail, you can head to the Town House to drop your ballot. If you are voting in person, you’ll want to head to the middle school tomorrow.
The annual Town Election is on Tuesday. That means that voters who applied to vote by mail are running out of time to get in their ballots.
The good news is that registered voters are only prohibited from voting in person if they already sent in a completed ballot. (So, if you submitted an application too late to get your ballot in time, it looks like no harm/no foul.)
As for casting the ballots once you receive them, they need to get to the Clerk’s office by 8:00 pm tomorrow, Tuesday the 11th. More good news, you don’t have to rely on the mail to get them there in time. You can also drop those in the Town’s dedicated voting box outside the Town House. (See image right.)
For those who prefer to vote in person, make sure to mark your calendars to vote on Tuesday between the hours of 6:30 am – 8:00 pm. The election will be held at Trottier Middle School’s gym for all three precincts. (You do need to know which precinct you are in once you get there. If you aren’t sure, you can check that here.)
If you still don’t know who you’re casting your ballots for, below is a reminder of who is running. I’ve included relevant links to candidates’ statements.
Candidates in competitive races
I included relevant links to candidates’ statements and coverage.
Board of Selectmen – 3 years (vote for one)
Andrew Dennington – video statement, blog statement
Michael Weishan – video statement, blog statement
For their Q&A portion of the Meet the Candidates event, click here.
NB-SB Regional School District Committee (NB Candidate) – 3 years (vote for two)
Karen Ares (appointed)** – video statement, Northborough Guide Statement
Kathleen Howland (incumbent) – Northborough Guide Statement
Mariam Ibrahimi – video statement, Northborough Guide Statement
For more background on the three above candidates, click here.
Uncontested candidates
For those who participated in the Library’s Meet the Candidates nights, I embedded links to their sections of the videos.
Board of Assessors – 3 years
Heath S. Widdiss
Board of Commissioners of Trust Funds – 3 years
Susan Delarda-Wood (incumbent)
Board of Health – 3 years
Chelsea Malinowski
Board of Trustees Southborough Library – 3 years
Kimberly L. Regan (incumbent)
David C. Ekberg (incumbent)
Moderator – 1 year
Paul M. Cimino (incumbent)
NB-SB Regional School District Committee (SB Candidate) – 3 years
Kathleen A. Harragan (incumbent)
Cathy A. Kea (incumbent)
Planning Board – 5 years
Meme Luttrell (incumbent)
Southborough Housing Authority – 2 years
Robert John Braccio
Southborough School Committee – 3 years
Jennifer Primack (incumbent)
Kimberly A. Tolander
This post is a response to Kathy Cook’s comment on my opponent’s candidates letter and was redirected here as the more appropriate forum:
Dear Kathy,
I thought I would personally respond to your comment as it does, by insinuation, slightly misrepresent the facts. First of all, as you know, I was asked, as a 30-year resident with 18-years of town government experience, whether or not I wanted to join the advisory board this spring. That didn’t come to fruition, and it probably turned out for the best, but I would match my civic street-creds against Mr. Dennington’s any day.
Secondly, I want to dispel once and for all any rumors that the BOS would function any less harmoniously than it does now if I were elected. I supported Sam Stivers through all of his previous runs, and consider him friend and counsel. I have voted for both Chelsea and Lisa (repeatedly), and Lisa I’ve gotten to know through various historical events sponsored by the Society. Marty, I have disagreed with, but we speak the same respectful “Harvardian agree-to-disagree-in-the-end” language. Please ask any of the members of the Historical Commission about the “tone and tenor” of our meetings. We are probably the only board, committee or Commission in Southborough where all the members like each other, look forward to our meetings—which have something of a glad social air—and where we move forward with consensus after hearing all views. Our votes are almost always unanimous and that’s something I am very proud of to have fostered.
Finally, I do agree with one point in your note: we are facing some headwinds over the next few years, which is why I feel we require qualities other than just “Hail fellow well met” when choosing our next selectman. To meet the challenges ahead, we need new ways of thinking on the BOS, which I know I can provide. For more on my proposals, please visit votemichaelweishan.com or read my candidates statement at https://mysouthborough.com/2021/05/06/candidates-letter-michael-weishan-for-board-of-selectman/
As a member of the voting public, the following is also offered as opposing opinions to Ms. Cook’s comments and in support of Mr. Weishan. There are a number of candidates who have run for public office without the path mentioned by Ms. Cook. Ms. Cook’s fellow Advisory Member, former BOS chair, Mr. Rooney, is one of those town officials. Mr. Rooney ran for BOS back in 2010, with no prior public office experience.
See My Southborough article:
https://mysouthborough.com/2010/03/25/meet-the-candidate-john-rooney-board-of-selectmen/
Mr. Rooney cites his starfish story and ran for public office, the open BOS position.
Mr. Weishan offers 30 years of residency in the town and has given the town many years of service. He also has deep business experience and a stellar educational background (Harvard). He cares about residents and importantly, the issues that will directly impact their lives and neighborhoods. Mr. Weishan is a fine candidate who offers deep experience and collaborative skills. We are lucky to have such choices for such an important seat.
Please keep in mind the residents of Southborough did not ELECT Ms. Cook, nor Mr. Dennington, to the Advisory Committee. Members of Advisory are all APPOINTED by the Town Moderator. What happens, if perhaps, we do not like or approve of his choices to Advisory or feel they are not representing the wishes of the voters?. Oh, that’s right, voters really don’t get a say in that. They are appointed. Yet, Ms. Cook says Advisory is the schooling ground for Selectmen? Maybe it is time to get some fresh thinking throughout the whole of this town’s government. (Small d) democracy at work.
As a member of the Southborough Historical Society Board and Vice Chair of the Southborough Historical Commission, I have had the pleasure of working closely with Michael Weishan for several years.
Michael brings vision and energy to both the Commission and the SHS. Members of the Commission enjoy a collegial atmosphere inspired by Michael’s enthusiasm, and we work extremely well together with a high degree of trust and mutual respect. I have no doubt that Michael would bring the same spirit of cooperation and professionalism to the Board of Selectmen.