Multiple updates discussed with Town Clerk Nancy Danello in advance of the Sep 6 State Primary -07/26/22 (audio)

FM #833 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 833 in the series. 

This shares my conversation with Town Clerk Nancy Danello and Dyan Fitzgerald, Deputy Town Clerk. We met in the Town Clerk office in the Franklin Municipal Building to discuss the preparation for the State Primary election scheduled for Sep 6, 2022.

We cover the following key topics

• Vote by mail and early voting now permanent per State legislation

• Town Council required to approve the schedule and police detail before each election

• Secretary of the Commonwealth mailed vote by mail cards to registered voters

• “Independent” voters need to check the box for which primary ballot they want (Democrat or Republican, don’t need to make that choice for the November election)

• Early voting schedule being approved by Secretary of the Commonwealth 

• in Town Clerk’s office during normal business hours

• Effectively one week before the Sep 6 primary at FHS

• Absentee ballot applications available now

• State Primary Day - Sep 6, 2022

The show notes include links to the Town Clerk page and other election information.

Our conversation runs about 14 minutes, so let’s listen in to my conversation with Nancy and Dyan. Audio file -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-833-town-clerk-updates-on-the-state-primary-election-sep-2022-07-26-22

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Town Clerk’s page ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk 

Register to vote ->   https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/ 

Sample ballots for Sep 6 -> https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/news/state-primary-9-6-2022-sample-ballots

In person early voting schedule for State Primary -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/news/state_primary_early_voting_schedule.pdf

9 precincts for Franklin -> https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/uploads/2022_precinct_map.pdf

  

New vote by mail drop off box at Municipal Building ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/news/new-vote-mail-drop-box

-------------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial. 

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/  or www.franklin.news 

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

new vote by mail drop off box at the Municipal Building

“We were confident all along that this attempt to block the VOTES Act was meritless”

"THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT will uphold the VOTES Act, the new law that allows Massachusetts residents to vote early by mail for any reason. 

The court on Monday announced that it will reject a challenge by a group of Massachusetts Republican Party leaders and side entirely with Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin to keep the law intact for the 2022 election cycle. "

Continue reading the article in CommonWealth Magazine ->    https://commonwealthmagazine.org/courts/sjc-upholds-no-excuse-voting-by-mail/

Boston Globe coverage (subscription may be required) ->   https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/07/11/metro/mass-high-court-rejects-gop-challenge-mail-in-voting/

Secretary of State William Galvin addresses reporters after word that the Supreme Judicial Court has dismissed a Republican challenge to the state's new law allowing voting by mail for any reason. "The presses are now rolling," Galvin said about the printing of ballot applications. (Photo by Shira Schoenberg)

Election recap: Statewide in MA 47 percent of voters voted by mail

From the Boston Globe, an article of interest for Franklin:

"Faced with a historic number of voters, the Sept. 1 Massachusetts primary avoided the weeks-long delays that beset some New York elections. Officials said there is no apparent rash of potential fraud, as officials in Georgia are investigating. “Very positive” is how the state’s top elections officer described the experience.

It was also, in effect, a test run.

With less than eight weeks until the Nov. 3 general election, the scramble to distribute millions of vote-by-mail applications is beginning anew, and local clerks — some of whom struggled with the deluge of primary ballots — are girding for a turnout that could be double, if not more, than the record-setting 1.7 million ballots cast in the primary.

That expected flood is partially the result of the newly expanded option to vote by mail, a route nearly 813,000, or roughly 47 percent of voters, took for the Sept. 1 primary, according to data provided by state officials. And about 1.4 million people have already requested mail-in ballots for the general election, and Secretary of State William F. Galvin’s office expects that number to grow as additional mailings asking if voters want a ballot begin to go out."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/11/metro/by-most-accounts-massachusetts-primary-was-historic-success-now-comes-hard-part/

Election recap: Statewide in MA 47 percent of voters voted by mail

Franklin, MA: Primary Results - Sep 1, 2020

A quick tally of voter totals by party shows over 9,000 voted in the Primary either in person, by mail or absentee ballot or via early voting.

Party	Voters
Democrat	7156
Green	16
Libertarian	43
Republican	1874
Total	9089

** Pending confirmation of the exact total of voters and percent registered from our Town Clerk, Teresa Burr.

Download a copy of the results PDF here: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C9p4P1fVCdqVLjXEdWhUWGOKslmfRmHk/view?usp=sharing 

 

 

Franklin, MA: Primary Results - Sep 1, 2020

Primary day election update 9/5/20

Town of Franklin, MA (@TOFranklinMA) tweeted at 2:02 PM on Sat, Sep 05, 2020:

A primary day election update from Town Clerk Teresa Burr:

"The results from the State Primary will be certified and posted by the Secretary of State's Office on Tuesday, September 8, 2020. Please contact the Secretary's Office with any questions at (617) 727-2828."

(https://twitter.com/TOFranklinMA/status/1302306115246530560?s=03)

Primary day election update 9/5/20

Commonwealth Magazine: "Voting reforms reinvigorated democracy"

From CommonWealth Magazine we share two articles of interest for Franklin: 

"When the Legislature passed an unprecedented expansion of mail-in voting, they did it for this year only, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that makes crowding into polling places unsafe.

But now, amid record-breaking turnout in this week’s primary, some are calling for mail-in voting to become a permanent feature of Massachusetts elections.

“Voter turnout in the September 1 primary makes one thing abundantly clear– vote by mail should be here to stay,” said Cheryl Clyburn Crawford, executive director of MassVOTE, a coalition that aims to expand voting access, in a statement.

The last time turnout in a state primary election topped 1 million was in 1990, when 1.5 million people voted. This year, Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin says that turnout will be more than 1.5 million, although he still did not have a final number. "

Continue reading the article online
https://commonwealthmagazine.org/the-download/is-mail-in-voting-here-to-stay-2/

"AT THE START of July, the Legislature passed a landmark bill to expand early voting, implement a secure vote-by-mail system, and strengthen safety measures for in-person voting. Tuesday’s primary was the first major test of these important reforms. They worked.

More people voted in this year’s state primary than ever before. According to preliminary data, over 1.6 million voters cast ballots, totaling more than a third of all registered voters. In recent state primaries, fewer than 1 million voters have showed up at the polls, with voter participation rates mired in the teens and low twenties. This year, several competitive races for Congress helped increase voter participation, but the high turnout was also a product of Massachusetts’ new election laws. In the face of an ongoing  pandemic, Massachusetts did not simply protect voting rights—we reinvigorated our democracy.

The Legislature’s voting reforms gave voters several different ways to cast their ballot. For the first time in the history of the Commonwealth, voters had the choice to vote by mail, to vote in person during a week-long early voting window, or to vote in person on the day of the election. The intent was to empower voters to vote in a way that worked best for them, and it is clear that people availed themselves of the opportunity. Over 1 million people requested mail-in ballots, 180,000 people voted during early voting, and hundreds of thousands more went to the polls on election day. While the vast majority of people who requested a mail-in ballot were able to return it successfully, voters still had the ability to vote in person if they encountered difficulties in the vote-by-mail process."

Continue reading the article online

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/opinion/voting-reforms-reinvigorated-democracy/

Commonwealth Magazine:  "Voting reforms reinvigorated democracy"

In the News: Franklin vote completes after midnight Thursday (Friday morning)

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin: 

"On Thursday afternoon, Debra O’Malley, a spokesperson with Secretary of State William Galvin’s office, said 3,000 full ballots had been misplaced in Franklin and went uncounted on election night. The same thing happened with about 750 ballots in Newton and 100 ballots in Wellesley.

Because ballots must be counted in view of the public, and on election night, tabulating the missing ballots after that day required a Suffolk Superior Court order, which the Secretary’s office says was granted at about 5 p.m. Wednesday night.

Previous reports put the number of uncounted ballots in Franklin at about 600."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200903/updated-it-has-been-determined-more-than-3000-ballots-have-not-been-counted-in-franklin-after-more-boxes-of-ballots-are-found?rssfeed=true 

Boston Globe article

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/04/metro/ap-declares-jake-auchincloss-winner-fourth-district-democratic-primary/

Commonwealth Magazine article

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/glitches-mar-tuesdays-election/

Why did it take so long? The manual process of counting is not efficient

“The most important thing to do now is to count all the votes"

 From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin: 

"As Sept 2 dawned, the race for the 4th Congressional District House seat showed no sign of ending. 

According to the Associated Press tabulation, fewer than 1,000 votes separated the top two Democrats, former Brookline city councilor Jesse Mermell and Newton City Councilor Jake Auchincloss. Mermell had led for much of the evening, with the gap between the two dwindling as more towns reported. 

As of 12:45 a.m., 76 percent of the towns had reported results; outstanding were: Bellingham, Berkley, Dover, Franklin, Lakeville, Milford, North Attleboro, Norton, Raynham, Rehobeth and Seekonk. 

In a statement issued shortly shortly before 1 a.m, Mermell’s campaign acknowledged the tight race."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200901/down-to-wire-for-democrats-hoping-for-4th-district-nomination?rssfeed=true

Related article from Commonwealth Magazine

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/mermell-auchincloss-neck-and-neck-in-4th/

“The most important thing to do now is to count all the votes"

“We must pass a Green New Deal”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

U.S. Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts defeated U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III in Tuesday’s hard-fought Democratic primary, harnessing support from progressive leaders to overcome a challenge from a younger rival who is a member of America’s most famous political family.

Kennedy, who represents Milford, won the town with 58.18% of the votes in the Democrats’ primary.

It was the first time a Kennedy has lost a race for Congress in Massachusetts.

Markey appealed to voters in the deeply Democratic state by positioning himself as aligned with the liberal wing of the party. He teamed up with a leading progressive, New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, on the Green New Deal climate change initiative — and at one point labeled Kennedy “a progressive in name only.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200901/updated--kennedy-concedes-defeat-to-incumbent-ed-markey-in-democratic-senate-primary?rssfeed=true 

Related article from Commonwealth Magazine

https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/markey-trounces-kennedy-in-senate-primary/

Voices of Franklin: Six Combine Voices for Markey

Voting in the Massachusetts Primary Election closes at 8:00 p.m. on September 1.  A few Franklin residents explain why they support Ed Markey as U.S. Senator in this primary.

These respondents are impressed by Sen. Markey’s record as a legislator.  Karen Landers notes  that he has long been known for his leadership and productivity.  He entered national politics in 1974.  In the succeeding 46 years he has been re-elected more than 20 times, first to the House (1974-2013) and subsequently to the Senate (2013 to present).  Clearly the Democrats in Massachusetts have recognized him as an effective congressman.  

These Franklin voters also admire Markey’s character.  They see in him a strong and visionary leader, and author of the Green New Deal, which may be the most important legislation before the Congress in our time.  Yet they also like his unpretentious, blue-collar origins and his personal modesty.  Karen Landers and Mara Downie found themselves standing beside Markey in the crowd at the Youth Climate Strike in Boston last year.  They noticed that he came to support the young strikers, not to grab the limelight.  

Markey’s causes resonate with these voters.  As Sue Cass puts it, Markey “has been indefatigable, participating on diverse committees and authoring or sponsoring hundreds of bills on diverse subjects, always focusing on improving American circumstances.”  More particularly, these voters applaud the senator’s support of racial justice, net neutrality, gun control, health care for all, women’s rights, the COVID-19 Relief Bill, and especially the Green New Deal with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.  This bill addresses the twin crises of climate change and economic inequality.

There are also strategic reasons to support Markey.  Jayson Joyce admires him because, in drafting the COVID-19 Relief Bill with Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders, Markey brought both wings of the Democratic party to the table.  Likewise, the senator commands inter-generational support from both ends of the age spectrum, from young Gen Z voters to aging Baby Boomers.  According to Joyce, Markey is a visionary leader who constantly challenges the status quo.  Or as Chorr-yi Chin puts it, Markey legislates with compassion for all, including future generations.  Colin Cass thinks it’s naive to trust what politicians say.  He judges them by what they actually do.  He believes that Markey “is committed to action on the most pressing issues of our time.”

Finally, there is the uniqueness of this moment.  As Joyce says, during this pandemic when many people have lost their jobs and their health insurance; when economic depression threatens and many are facing evictions, foreclosures, and heavy debts, the moment calls for strong leadership and moral authority.  Or as Chin puts it, “The demands of today require somebody who understands the hardships we face.”   

Ed Markey has spent his life as a prolific, principled, and successful legislator.  This man has earned his place as our senator, and the voters of Massachusetts should keep him in office.

In the News: task force formed to tackle car thieves; primary may see record turnout

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin: 

"Several area communities have been targeted by two apparent separate groups of car thieves, and now a task force is seeking to catch the suspects. 

Hopkinton Police said a task force made up of themselves, Holliston, Sherborn, Franklin, Medway, Millis and Wrentham police departments, as well as the Massachusetts State Police, are searching for the suspects. 

“Our detectives have been monitoring this for quite some time,” Hopkinton Chief Joseph Bennett said Monday. 

The task force was set up about three weeks ago. The car thefts, as well as car break-ins, have been occurring for about three months, Detective Sgt. Scott van Raalten said."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200831/two-groups-of-car-thieves-are-targeting-area-from-hopkinton-to-franklin-now-seven-area-police-departments-have-set-up-task-force-to-catch-them?rssfeed=true

 

“I think we all know this has been an extraordinary year for virtually everything about our lives, and elections are no different,” Galvin, the state’s elections overseer, said at a State House press conference. 

“We’re having an election tomorrow, I think under the most unusual circumstances.” 

On the eve of a primary election in which ways to participate have been reshaped around the COVID-19 pandemic, Galvin provided a turnout forecast -- he expects 1.2 million to 1.3 million votes, once all are tallied -- and laid out the ground rules for voters."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required) 

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200831/mass-primary-turnout-could-be-highest-in-20-years/1?rssfeed=true 

Primary Election - Sep 1 - 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM at Franklin High School

Note, this Primary election opens at 7:00 AM. Most prior elections opened at 6. Not this time.

Election Info:  https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/2020-elections-voting

Sample ballots:  https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk/pages/2020-sample-ballots

:00 AM to 8:00 PM at Franklin High School

Primary Election - Sep 1 - 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM

The Election Collection can be found here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/2020-election-collection.html

In the News: Zannetos withdraws from 4th District primary; Supreme Judicial Court upholds Sep 1 deadline

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

A second Democrat in the 4th Congressional District race has decided to suspend his campaign and back Jesse Mermell ahead of next week’s primary.

Chris Zannetos, a tech entrepreneur and founder of STEMatchMA, announced his decision on Wednesday, less than a week before the final votes will be cast at the polls on Sept. 1. He pointed to Mermell’s focus on economic equality and support for working families.

“The easy path for me would be to finish this campaign on Election Day,” Zannetos said in a statement released by the Mermell campaign. “But that would only take votes from a candidate who is committed to fixing this issue, who can win this race. There is one candidate who has shown in her career a consistent commitment to helping working people and those disenfranchised, and a willingness to create the public-private collaborations required to solve this challenge.” 

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200826/zannetos-drops-out-of-4th-race-will-back-mermell?rssfeed=true

 

"The Supreme Judicial Court has upheld the Sept. 1 deadline for local election officials to receive mail-in primary election ballots. 

The court ruled Wednesday in a lawsuit filed by Fourth Congressional District candidate Becky Grossman, who sought a 10-day extension of the period allocated for counting mail-in primary ballots. 

The 22-page decision, authored by Justice Scott Kafker, comes six days before a primary where several contentious races are set to be decided including the contest between U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and U.S. Rep. Joe Kennedy III, and the race featuring a crowded field of Democrats running in the Fourth Congressional District. 

At least 1 million registered voters in Massachusetts requested mail-in ballots this year under a new law aimed at boosting voting options, but questions have been raised about the law’s deadlines and the reliability of the U.S. Postal Service, which has been thrust into a major role in the elections."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)

https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200826/states-highest-court-upholds-sept-1-deadline-for-primary-ballots-4th-congressional-district-candidate-becky-grossman-wanted-10-day-extension?rssfeed=true

SJC Decision https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2020/08/26/g12996.pdf

 

Supreme Judicial Court upholds Sep 1 deadline

Franklin Community 2020 Voting Guide - Primary - Sept 1

A worthy set of material to prepare for the Primary election. Get your copy here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pJTTTmSxr5JwjJVzdBl-ra2_KEAMd0pq/view?usp=sharing 

or here

 

For additional information on voting visit the Town Clerk page

https://www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk

For the Franklin voters "election collection" visit

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/2020-election-collection.html

the Franklin voters "election collection"

Voices of Franklin: State Rep Jeff Roy, State Rep Brian Murray "We are with Joe Kennedy"

We are with Joe Kennedy in his campaign for the United States Senate because he cares, he shows up and he leads.
 
We first saw Joe in 2010, talking about the need for civility in government. That speech captured our moral imagination and we sure hoped that he would run for office.
 
In 2012, he was in our communities talking with us and our friends about what he would do in Congress.
 
While a member of Congress, he has been a champion on  such very important issues as health care, manufacturing, substance use disorder, energy, the environment and civil rights,
 
We have witnessed firsthand his dedication, thoughtfulness and energy. His ability to work across the aisle with those who may have different beliefs is impressive, as is his ability to clearly see complex issues and get to the heart of the matter. And he does it all with a strong sense of empathy, a trait possessed by truly great leaders.
 
His service to our District is unparalleled. His commitment to constituent services for the folks throughout our communities has been exceptional.  His belief that everyone counts and should be counted is his high watermark.
 
At this moment in the history of our nation, we need his commitment, compassion and leadership on the floor of the United States Senate now more than ever.
 
Joe has been with all of  us, he is one of us and he has the vision to lead us.
 
That is why we hope you will join us in voting for Joe Kennedy for the U.S. Senate on September 1st. It is a vote not only for a better Commonwealth, but for a better country as well.
 

Jeffrey N. Roy
State Representative – Franklin & Medway

Brian W. Murray
State Representative – Milford, Medway Hopedale, & Mendon

Franklin (MA) voter totals for September Primary (2003-2018)

From the Town Clerk section of the Franklin Annual Report come the results of previous September primaries.

Year     Totals

2004 1415

2006 3315

2008 1442

2010 2261

2012 4826

2014 2325

2016 871

2018 4013

2020 ???

Franklin (MA) voter totals for September Primary (2003-2018)

FM #333 4th District Candidates Town Hall - 8/19/20 (audio)

FM #333 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 333 in the series.

This session shares the 4th District Candidates Town Hall facilitated by the “Franklin Area Against Racism” and “Medway Marches” and broadcast by Franklin TV. The Forum was conducted via Zoom to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

Angelica Crosby, Raj Seelam, and Justin Bates moderated the forum providing time for each candidate to respond to the questions on a random rotation.

All Democratic and Republicans were invited. The Democratic candidates participating (alphabetic order by last name) Jake Auchincloss, Becky Grossman, Alan Khazei, Ihssane Leckey, Natalia Linos, Jesse Mermell, and Ben Sigel.

Photos of the event participants (including screen captures of the questions and response order shared via Twitter - tagged as “#4thDist0819”) are available in this Google Photo Album https://photos.app.goo.gl/DQYMEE1ZVRq8g8yh9

The recording runs just about 1 hour and 40 minutes, so let’s listen to the 4th District candidates discuss their positions on a series of issues.

Audio file =  https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/HXg6gkXK

 

 ----------

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
• If you don't like something here, please let me know
  

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

 

FM #333 4th District Candidates Town Hall - 8/19/20 (audio)

WFPR.FM: 4th District Candidate Interviews with Frank Falvey

"Our own Frank Falvey has been interviewing the many candidates running for the Fourth District seat. Listen to wfpr●fm Tuesdays from now until the primary election. 

Each week we will feature three of the candidates on Tuesday morning, afternoon and evening. Listen and learn all about the candidates – in their own words – on 102.9 FM.

------ Tuesday 8/18/20 ---------
JESSE MERMELL - 9 AM, 12 PM, 6 PM
ALAN KHAZEI - 10 AM, 1 PM, 7 PM
BEN SIGEL - 11 AM, 2 PM, 8 PM


------ Tuesday 8/25/20 ---------
JESSE MERMELL - 9 AM, 12 PM, 6 PM
NATALIA LINOS - 10 AM, 1 PM, 7 PM
BEN SIGEL - 11 AM, 2 PM, 8 PM

For more about the wfpr.fm and Franklin.TV programming schedule  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/08/zooming-into-future-part-6.html

WFPR.FM: 4th District Candidate Interviews with Frank Falvey

Other State Officials up for Election on Primary Ballot - Sep 1

COUNCILLOR (Governor’s Council)

The Governor's Council is composed of eight individuals elected from districts, and the Lieutenant Governor who serves ex officio.  They provide advice and consent on gubernatorial appointments, pardons and commutations, and warrants for the state treasury.

For more information, go to https://www.mass.gov/orgs/governors-council

• ROBERT L. JUBINVILLE    Democrat    https://www.votejubinville.com/

There are no candidates for the Republican, Libertarian or Green Rainbow parties

REGISTER OF PROBATE   NORFOLK COUNTY

The register of probate administers the probate court, which primarily handles family legal matters (including divorce and child custody cases), and wills and estates. The register of probate provides the court's services and keeps the court's records.

For more information, go to https://www.mass.gov/locations/norfolk-probate-and-family-court

• COLLEEN MARIE BRIERLEY    Democrat  https://www.facebook.com/Colleen4Probate/
• NOEL T. DiBONA    Democrat  https://www.facebook.com/Noeldibonaprobate/
• KATHRYN E. HUBLEY    Democrat  https://kathyhubley.com/
• COURTNEY M. MADDEN    Democrat  https://courtneymadden.org/
• MICHAEL F. WALSH    Democrat  https://walshforprobate.com/

There are no candidates for the Republican, Libertarian or Green Rainbow parties

COUNTY TREASURER NORFOLK COUNTY

The County Treasurer is responsible for the collection, custody and management all money belonging to the County government, and disbursement of those funds according to law. The Treasurer is responsible for keeping financial records, including bills, vouchers, and documentation of borrowings and debt, to be accessible for future reference., and annually prepares and publishes a report of the County receipts and expenditures for the preceding fiscal year.  

 The Treasurer also acts as Chairman of the County Retirement Board.  

The County Treasurer is an elected official serving a six-year term.  

For more information, go to https://www.norfolkcounty.org/county-administration/treasurer

• MICHAEL G. BELLOTTI    Democrat   https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Government-Official/Mike-Bellotti-for-Norfolk-County-Treasurer-125523504157200/
• BRAD L. CROALL    Democrat  https://www.bradcroall.com/

There are no candidates for the Republican, Libertarian or Green Rainbow parties

COUNTY COMMISSIONER NORFOLK COUNTY

The Norfolk County Commissioners' Office is charged with implementing policy, budget and other decisions of the elected board of Commissioners. The office's duties include personnel, purchasing, management information systems, and general administration.   For more information, go to https://www.norfolkcounty.org/county-administration/commissioners-office

• JOSEPH P. SHEA    Democrat  https://www.facebook.com/SheaforNorfolk/
• DENNIS J. GUILFOYLE    Democrat  https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Political-Candidate/Dennis-Guilfoyle-for-Norfolk-County-Commissioner-109258227331366/
• CHARLES B. RYAN    Democrat  https://www.votecharlieryan.com/
• RICHARD R. STAITI    Democrat  http://www.votestaiticommissioner.com/

There are no candidates for the Republican, Libertarian or Green Rainbow parties

SHERIFF (VACANCY) NORFOLK COUNTY

The Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office serves the citizens of Norfolk County and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by enhancing public safety through the operation of a safe, secure, and humane correctional facility that establishes structure and accountability for offenders and focuses on re-entry programs and community based programs that promote crime prevention, citizen awareness, education, youth development, elderly assistance and law enforcement support.   

For more information, go to https://www.norfolksheriff.com/

• JAMES F. COUGHLIN    Democrat   https://coughlin2020.com/
• PATRICK W. McDERMOTT    Democrat  https://www.patrickmcdermott.org/
• WILLIAM J. PHELAN    Democrat  https://www.phelanforsheriff.com/
• JERRY P. McDERMOTT Republican  https://www.sheriffjerrymcdermott.com/

There are no candidates for the Libertarian or Green Rainbow parties

Other State Officials up for Election on Primary Ballot - Sep 1

Voices of Franklin: Colin Cass on voting in the Primary Election

 Voting in primary elections is very important, yet voter turnout in primaries is usually low.  (Embarrassingly so:  in 2016 the Franklin primary turnout was only 4.1 % of the eligible voters.)  But even conscientious voters probably think, “The real show is the general election.  I’ll vote then.  I know who I like.  What’s the difference?”

One difference is that who you can vote for in the general election is not settled until the primary has occurred.  If the people you like have primary challengers, of course, they must defeat the challengers to get on the general ballot.  So they will need your help in both elections, not just the general.

And even if the ones you really like have no primary challengers, you may still be wise to vote in the primary.  Remember, your favorites will not be alone on the general ballot.  Many offices must be filled.  Say you are a straight-ticket, one-party voter.  You do not want to find yourself obliged to vote for people you dislike just because, on a thin plurality,  they squeaked by the primary that you skipped.

And since primary turnouts are low, a few votes can make an outsized difference.  Impact per voter is greatly magnified.  And naturally, the bigger the field, the more crucial every primary vote is.  There are nine contestants in the Fourth Congressional District, for example, for the one place for a Democratic candidate on the general ballot.  If voter support were divided equally among the nine and turnout were at 2016 levels, then each candidate would have about 97 supporters in Franklin.  In such a race, every primary vote really counts, and could decide who goes to Washington.

The primary is September 1.  You can vote in person, vote early, or apply by August 26 to vote by mail.

Colin Cass

146 Longhill Road

Franklin, MA 02038

If you have interest in "Voices of Franklin" please read the guidelines here  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html