Politics & Government
Westford Voters Have Competitive Races in 2014
Board of Selectmen, Housing Authority, and School Committee offer choices for residents on May 6.
Thursday was the last day for candidates to withdraw from running for Westford town offices and now, the ballots are ready for printing and voters will have three reasons to go to the polls on May 6.
In the Board of Selectmen’s race, three people – incumbent Kelly Ross, James Jarvie IV, and Donald Siriani – are all running for two seats.
Two candidates are vying for a single Housing Authority seat. Muriel Drake is seeking another five-year term while Bernard Meyler Jr. is also seeking the seat.
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For School Committee, Avery Adam is challenging incumbents David Keele and Birgit Kohl.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Winning by default
Barring organized write-in or sticker campaigns, the following candidates will win their seats by default due to not having competition.
Moderator Ellen Harde will have another three-year term.
Zac Cataldo and Michele Pitoniak-Crawford will serve three more years on the Board of Health.
Hajo Koester and Robert Price will serve three years each as library trustees and Michael Green will serve another five years on the Planning Board.
Corinne Ryan and Diane Holmes will also serve on the Housing Authority. Ryan, a board member, is running for the four-year seat being vacated by Janet Berube. Holmes, a newcomer, is running to fill out Ryan's remaining term.
Need to register to vote?
Residents who are interested in voting in the election will have until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16, according to Kaari Mai Tari, the town clerk.Mail in voter registration forms, she noted, must be postmarked by April 16, in order to be considered on time. If you are 17-year-old but will turn 18 before May 6, you are eligible to register to vote but must observe the deadline.
Once registered to vote at your current address, you do not need to re-register as long as you return your census form annually, unless you wish to make a change to your voter status or name, according to state law.
Other deadlines
Campaign finance reports by the candidates are due on April 28.
Campaign finance reports are due on June 5, with year-end reports due on Jan. 20, 2015.
Let us know what you think
If you’re running for office and are interested in sharing your views on why you’re the best candidate for the job, start a blog here on Patch.
Readers can also comment and discuss the issues in two ways: By offering commentary in the Speak Out section of the site or in the comment section of posts and stories.
Editor's Note: This story has been corrected clarifying the Housing Authority races for vacated seats.
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