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Annual Town Election to be held March 26
Have you ever given it thought to run for public office? Would you like to volunteer your time to assist the Town of Winchester? Do you have experience and talents that can benefit the Town? Well if so, here are a few important things you need to know in order to be considered.
1) You must be a registered voter at your Winchester address.
2) You must stop into Town Hall on or before the deadline on Feb. 2 to register as an official candidate for public office.
3) You must circulate a nomination petition with 50 valid signatures (town wide) or 10 valid signatures (Town Meeting) of voters in Winchester who sign to support your candidacy.
4) Return your papers on or before Feb. 6 by postmark USPS mail or drop box to the Town Clerk’s Office for approval.
5) Decide if you will establish a Candidate Committee to promote your election campaign.
6) Get out the vote!
Effective Tuesday, Jan. 2, nomination papers for the March 26 Annual Town Election are available to request from the Office of the Town Clerk.
You can simply stop by the Town Clerk’s Office to fill out the paperwork to become a candidate for election. The Town Clerk’s staff will walk you through the process and send you home with you packet of educational material on becoming a candidate for local office.
The following offices will be on the ballot this year: Moderator for 1-year term; two members for the Select Board for 3-year term; one member for the Board of Assessor for a 3 year term; one member of the Board of Health for a 3 year term; two members for the Planning Board for 3 year terms; two members for the School Committee for 3 year term; one member of the Board of Library Trustees for 3-year term; one member for the Housing Authority for 4-year term
In addition, in each of the town’s eight precincts, eight 3-year town meeting member terms will be on the ballot. (For a total of 64 town meeting seats) There may additionally be vacancies in office due to resignations that occurred throughout the year. Precinct 1 - 1 for a one-year term, Precinct 8 - 1 for a one-year term.
Signatures of 50 registered voters are required for nomination to town-wide office; 10 signatures from the candidate’s precinct are needed for Town Meeting. Incumbent Town Meeting members are not required to obtain signatures. The Town Clerk’s staff mailed out letters to incumbents the week of Dec. 18, 2023, with instructions if they would like to appear on the ballot.
The last day to take out nomination papers for any office is 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2. Signed nomination papers must be submitted to the Town Clerk’s Office for certification no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6.
If you are interested to run for office or if you are interested to see who may be running, contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-721-7130 or email townclerk@winchester.us if you have questions.
— Submitted by the Winchester Town Clerk’s Office.
