Political candidates go where the voters are, and that was certainly true of Town Meeting this week.
Residents arriving at Trottier were greeted by candidates looking for signatures on their nomination papers and by supporters holding signs for the two candidates competing to represent Southborough in the state legislature: Democrat Carolyn Dykema and Republican Marty Lamb. Both of the candidates were there shaking hands and talking to residents.
Here are a few photos of the scene.
Above: Rep. Carolyn Dykema (contributed photo)
Above: Marty Lamb (contributed photo)
I was apprehended by multiple candidates on my way into Town Meeting for handshakes or signatures, and found it extremely uncomfortable. I wish there had been a “candidate-free” entrance!
I’ve never seen a candidate who would not graciously accept, “No thank you.”
Lamb’s people were lining and blocking the walkway when we arrived. They made a couple of silly comments when they could tell I just wanted to get past them. This should not be allowed at Town Meeting.
Lamb’s supporters were fine. They were out lining the parking lot holding signs. Marty shook hands with people when they came by and was well received.
Dykema supporters were much closer to the school, and Dykema herself was stopping people to collect signatures. You can see in the photo above, Dykema had nomination papers in her hand.
When Democrat town administrators came and Democrat town committee members came, they got on their phones and started texting. They didn’t like the fact that Lamb supporters were out there and made a stink about it. The police were great, very fair, and called the town clerk. The town clerk asked everyone to stay away from the very front entrance, so supporters from both sides were not allowed there.
However, Dykema supporters were much closer to the walkway that is used along the school, and she stopped people for signatures.
Also, other Democrats were there stopping people for signatures. Democrat state committee people were there collecting for Liz Warren right at the corner of the walkway, same area Dykema was at. Also Democrats for a state senate candidate Franco were there and asked me to sign as well. Also, Democrats for local town races were there as well.
All the Democrats were blocking the area.
@JKelley, I can’t speak for where the groups of supporters were when you arrived, but this was what happened when we arrived.
There were no parking spaces in the lot closest to the door so we parked in the side lot. The Lamb supporters were lined up along the curb so that the only way to access the concrete walkway leading to the entry to the building was to walk in between closely spaced Lamb supporters holding signs or to make a wide cricle around them, I put my head down and had to shift my bag behind me to pass between two supporters. A Lamb supporter wished me a “good morning.” It was 7:00 in the evening. Several of them broke into laughter and another told me to ignore him because he couldn’t tell time. It was silly, juvenile and intimidating. Come to think of it, it was “junior highschool” behavior. Maybe they were inspired standing so close to Trottier?
The Dykema supporters were on the grass on the far side of the walkway, I was now on the walkway and could easily walk to the entry without having to maneuver past them.
I should have taken a picture with my phone. Or maybe I should have called the police – for a second time apparently.
It’s called Democracy. Folks should toughen up a bit. Yes, the candidates and their supporters were out in force trying to get your vote/signature. Yes there were two different candidates. Expect to see some of these folks at the transfer station and any other place where people gather. If they irritate you vote for someone else.
The really good news is we will probably have a contested election in the fall (Senate) and we will see campaigning for the next 7-8 months.
Would you rather live in a society where the party picks the legislature and executive and the messy business of voting is not necessary?
@Al, I agree that candidates and supporters will be out there, and there’s a proper way for campaigns to do things to be courteous to voters.
What I don’t like is the political spin that is often posted to try and make someone or a group look bad, calling them names, saying they are “silly and juvenile”, personal attacks, things that aren’t so.
The truth is the truth, and people who came to that meeting know where people were standing. They know who stopped them in the middle of the path, all those who were collecting signatures and for what candidates.
And, people reading here who came to the meeting can see the bad spin that is opposite to what they saw, and that backfires even further, a double negative on top of it.
Here’s a little truth: No one from among the Democrats “made a stink.”
In fact, when Town Clerk Paul Berry came in, I told him that, while I disagreed with the application to Town Meeting of the 150′ boundary for polling places, we Democrats would of course comply with his ruling. Yes, he is a registered Democrat, too, but I believe most Southborough voters know him to be honest and even-handed, as I do.