What's happening in Franklin, MA: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 ??

What's happening in Franklin, MA

Tuesday, October 21

8:00am In Person Early Voting (Town Clerk's Office) 

12:00pm Community Closet (Franklin United Methodist Church)

4:00pm Pumpkin Patch (St John's Episcopal Church)

Library & Senior Center events

6:00pm Table Top (Franklin Public Library)

For additional details on Library events ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/942/Calendar-of-Events

For additional details on Senior Center events ->        

https://www.franklinma.gov/calendar.aspx?CID=37,24&showPastEvents=false

** NO Town Meetings today   **

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

Find the full Community event calendar  https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar

If you have an event to add to the calendar, you can use the form to submit it for publication:  https://bit.ly/Submit2Calendar

The Town meeting calendar is found  https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
The School district calendar is found  https://franklinpublicschooldistrictma.sites.thrillshare.com/o/fpsd/page/school-calendar

2025 Biennial Election Info for Franklin, MA

2025 Biennial Election Info for Franklin, MA

One Franklin has collected the pertinent information to prepare for the Biennial Election. 

5 slides or pictures in this album ->

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2xSDUkuJWVQz32gU9

Or view them on Instagram ->  https://www.instagram.com/p/DP85Dl5jVqf/

Town Clerk reveals the Most Popular Dog Names for Franklin, MA

The winners for the most popular dog names are:

# 1 Winner- Owner, Tim McCarthy - Dog's name is Fannie

# 2 Winner - Owner,  Joshua Kolodziejski- Dog's name is Pride

The 10 most popular dog names of 2024 in Franklin are as follows:

• Luna
• Lucy
• Bailey
• Charlie
• Bella
• Daisy

• 

  Dogs 2
  
  

  Rosie
• Cooper
• Maggie
• Molly

Thank you,

Nancy Danello, CMC

Town Clerk

Justice of the Peace

Notary Public 

Early voting begins Friday, October 17 !!!

Early voting begins Friday, October 17!

Early voting begins Friday, October 17!

Early voting for the November 4th Biennial Town Election begins October 17th at 8:00 AM in the Town Clerk's Office.  

Click here for the full early voting schedule.

https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6841/In-Person-Early-Voting-Hours

Tabulator testing scheduled for October 15 at 9 AM in Council Chambers

Tabulator testing for the biennial Town election 11/4/25 will be held October 15^th at 9:00 AM in the Town Council Chambers.

Town of Franklin: Tabulator Testing shows ballots will be read properly

The audio & notes of the testing conducted in 2022 is available to provide additional details on what is involved -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/11/town-of-franklin-tabulator-testing.html

Town of Franklin: Biennial Ballot for Nov 4, 2025 - Proof Copy available

The local ballot is FINAL. Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted the updated report as of Monday, September 22, 2025. Nomination papers have been validated for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, Board of Assessors, Planning Board, and Planning Board (Associate Member) candidates for their entry on the ballot. 

The ballot was finalized after September 22 and sent to the printers. Printed copies are expected back to the Town Clerk during the week of October 6, 2025. Mailing of the absentee and vote by mail ballot requests will begin once the copies come back from the printers.

There is/are 

1 candidate for the Planning Board (Associate Member)

1 candidate for the Board of Assessors

2 candidates for 2 spots on the Planning Board 

8 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee 

1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk

15 candidates for 9 spots on the Town Council

The Board of Health position remains without a candidate. If any one is interested in running as a "write in" candidate, stop by the Town Clerk's office to get info on how to do that. All write in votes will require a hand count for those ballots and getting the info from the Clerk can make their work easier to accomplish.

Town of Franklin: Biennial Ballot for Nov 4, 2025 - Proof Copy

The PDF download -> (Ballot proof copy)   https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7044/Nov-4-2025-Local-Biennial-Election---Ballot-Proof

OR (a permanent link for the ballot proof copy) ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/19T3_IH8iEfWTUuUbqahsjNkfaPS1twrR/view?usp=drive_link

Let’s have some fun… What the most popular dog name was in 2024?

Dog 1

Via Town Clerk Nancy Danello:

"Can you guess what the most popular dog name was in 2024?

Was It Princess?? Was It Franklin?? Was It Jeff??

The First Place winner will receive:

1. A paid dog tag for the life of the dog
2. Receive dog tag #1 for 2026
3. A picture of your dog will appear on the 2026 dog registration form sent to all town residents

Dogs 2

The Second Place winner will receive:

1. Receive dog tag #2 for 2026
2. A dog-themed goodie basket

Dog 3

Submit your guess to TOWNCLERK@FRANKLINMA.GOV

Deadline to submit your guess is 10/15/2025 BY 4:00PM

All prizes will be paid for by the Town Clerk.

One guess per family. 

Winner will be pulled on 10/16 via live feed. 

More info to come regarding the live feed."

Shared from Town Clerk PDF ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/11VQp7bbFWz9v8_BF1BX3Km19d1s-YvsW/view?usp=drive_link

Almost "Final" Biennial Election Candidates as of September 15, 2025

The local ballot is filling in. Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted the most recent updated report as of Monday, September 15, 2025. Nomination papers have been taken for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, Board of Assessors, Planning Board, and Planning Board (Associate Member) and candidates have been returned and verified for their entry on the ballot. 

Almost "Final" as the ballot doesn't get finalized until September 22 giving candidates time to withdraw from consideration.

There is/are 

1 candidate for the Planning Board (Associate Member)

1 candidate for the Board of Assessors

2 candidates for 2 spots on the Planning Board 

8 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee 

1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk

15 candidates for 9 spots on the Town Council

The Board of Health position remains without a candidate. 

Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing

The PDF download ->  https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6972/Nomination-Papers-filed-as-of-9-15-25 (from Town page but not a permanent link)

OR (a permanent link) ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/11V5sFdfpKB7SQ0iPGjvxt_IvqSDnCJLs/view?usp=drive_link

Biennial Election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing as of September 12, 2025

The local ballot is filling in. Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted the most recent updated report as of Friday, September 12, 2025 showing candidate nomination papers have been taken for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, Board of Assessors, Planning Board, and Planning Board (Associate Member) at this point. 

There is/are 

1 candidate for the Planning Board (Associate Member)

1 candidate for the Board of Assessors

2 candidates for 2 spots on the Planning Board 

9 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee (1 withdrew)

1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk

16 candidates for 9 spots on the Town Council

The Board of Health position remains without at least a candidate at this time. 

Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing

This is 'crunch time' as all the nomination papers are due back September 15 when required will be validated. 

The Ballot doesn't get finalized until Sep 22 giving candidates time to withdraw.

The PDF download ->  https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/6931/Nomination-papers-filed-as-of-9-12-25  (from Town page but not a permanent link)

OR (a permanent link) ->    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bh_hYug72rSPpvcoFiz1C9oBx_ABnaMn/view?usp=drive_link

In person voting schedule for Biennial Election begins Oct 17

In person voting schedule for Biennial Election begins Oct 17

The Early Voting schedule for the November 4 Biennial Election was announced by Town Clerk Nancy Danello

Shared from  ->   https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6841/In-Person-Early-Voting-Hours

Biennial Election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing as of September 5, 2025

The local ballot is filling in. Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted the most recent updated report as of September 5, 2025 showing candidate nomination papers have been taken for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, Board of Assessors and Planning Board at this point. 

There is/are 

1 candidate for the Board of Assessors

2 candidates for 2 spots on the Planning Board

9 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee (1 withdrew)

1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk

15 candidates for 9 spots on the Town Council

The Board of Health, and Planning Board (Associate Member) remain without at least a candidate for each open position at this time. 

Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing

This will likely be fairly dynamic until September 15 when the signatures required are returned and validate. The Ballot doesn't get finalized until Sep 22.

The PDF download ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wWxf1ysvCenaylwFJcKv1T2QZPFIrGsg/view?usp=drive_link

The PDF display: 

Biennial Election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing as of September 4, 2025

The local ballot is filling in. Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted the most recent updated report as of August 28, 2025 showing candidate nomination papers have been taken for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, Board of Assessors and Planning Board at this point. 

There is/are 

1 candidate for the Board of Assessors

2 candidates for 2 spots on the Planning Board

10 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee

1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk

15 candidates for 9 spots on the Town Council

The Board of Health, and Planning Board (Associate Member) remain without at least a candidate for each open position at this time. 

Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing

This will likely be fairly dynamic until September 15 when the signatures required are returned and validate. The Ballot doesn't get finalized until Sep 22.

The PDF download -> 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EK5DIe503sXynvbdCmtrLT-7r4BhL6uO/view?usp=drive_link

or -> https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6862/Nomination-papers-filed-as-of-9-4-25

The PDF display: 

What "one" question would have for a candidate in the Town of Franklin Biennial Election Nov 4, 2025 ???

As the ballot gets closer to being finalized, we can take review the questions we have used in previous elections (link for 2023 & 2021 provided below) and see if there are any updates required.

You can make multiple question entries to ask your "one" question for each role. For example, the question for a Town Council candidate would likely differ from a Planning Board candidate. 

You can help with this effort by submitting your "one" question for each candidate role with a 3 step process. 

• Enter your email (required for validation of the question)
• Select the candidate role for your question
• Enter your question

The final set of questions will be published after the analysis is complete.

Link to question survey -> https://forms.gle/aoVd8bRz1ULwkCnq8

Questions being gathered for use by Franklin Matters/Franklin Public Radio candidate interviews for the Town of Franklin 2025 Biennial Election.

Questions used for the 2023 Biennial Election ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OdCjTIczcePZDciQuW8HZSfF34LAnCVh/view?usp=drive_link

Questions used for the 2021 Biennial Election ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GkFh21gYukaMheQL-P4C0T_EEaItvcAu/view

What "one" question would have for a candidate?

Number of School Committee and Town Council candidates for Biennial Elections from 2003 to this year (as of 8/22/25)

Tabulating the total number of candidates for Town Council and School Committee via the PDF Annual Reports available from the Town of Franklin web page reveals the following information:

• Currently the most candidates for Town Council is found this year (with nomination paper data as of 8/22/25)
• The School Committee has the most variation in number of candidates from a negative 1 (6 for 7 spots) in 2005 to a plus 5 (12 for 7 spots) in 2021 to a current plus 3 (as of 8/22/25)
• There were 4 elections where all you needed was to get on the ballot to get elected to the School Committee vs. the Town Council where in 2 elections there were 10 candidates and at the end one was left out

Town Council - chart of candidates plus or minus by year since 2003

Town Council - chart of candidates plus or minus by year since 2003

School Committee - chart of candidates plus or minus by year since 2003

School Committee - chart of candidates plus or minus by year since 2003

The PDF Annual Reports can be found -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Archive.aspx?AMID=39

The data table, compiled from the PDF copies, that drove the charts can be found ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jWlQaxx40GKbSTSY2-81Jgfpm6isnqXp/view?usp=drive_link

Biennial Election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing as of Aug 22, 2025

The local ballot is filling in. Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted an updated report as of August 15, 2025 showing candidate nomination papers have been taken for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, Board of Assessors and Planning Board at this point.

There is/are 

1 candidate for the Board of Assessors

2 candidates for 2 spots on the Planning Board

10 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee

1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk

15 candidates for 9 spots on the Town Council

The Board of Health, and Planning Board (Associate Member) remain without at least a candidate for each open position at this time. 

Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing

This will likely be fairly dynamic until September 15 when the signatures required are returned and validate. The Ballot doesn't get finalized until Sep 22.

The PDF download ->   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UOkdXUGkzNepzW-FTfn0Oz5dmBdQxBki/view?usp=drive_link

The PDF display: 

Biennial Election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing as of Aug 15, 2025

The local ballot is filling in. Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted an updated report as of August 15, 2025 showing candidate nomination papers have been taken for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, Board of Assessors and Planning Board at this point.

There is/are 

1 candidate for the Board of Assessors

2 candidates for 2 spots on the Planning Board

8 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee

1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk

14 candidates for 9 spots on the Town Council

Only the Board of Health, and Planning Board (Associate Member) remain without at least a candidate for each open position at this time. 

Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing

This will likely be fairly dynamic until September 15 when the signatures required are returned and validate. The Ballot doesn't get finalized until Sep 22.

The PDF download -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Tnb1peAAmI9NSv9muSO8PTGUM7DGUvYT/view?usp=drive_link

The PDF display:

Biennial Election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing as of Aug 12, 2025

Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted an updated report as of August 12, 2025 showing candidate nomination papers have been taken for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, Board of Assessors and Planning Board at this point.

There is/are 

1 candidate for the Board of Assessors

2 candidates for 2 spots on the Planning Board

5 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee

1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk

14 candidates for 9 spots on the Town Council

Only the Board of Health remains without a candidate for the one open position at this time. 

Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing

This will likely be fairly dynamic until September 15 when the signatures required are returned and validate. The Ballot doesn't get finalized until Sep 22.

The PDF download -> (corrected the link; had been last Friday's and not Tuesday 8/12)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15wgK6INBCpHNSE_v6oGnEP-86KqJCQud/view?usp=drive_link

The PDF display:

Biennial Election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing - Aug 8, 2025

Town Clerk Nancy Danello posted an updated report as of August 8, 2025 showing candidate nomination papers have been taken for Town Council, School Committee, Town Clerk, and Planning Board at this point.

There is 

1 candidate for 2 spots on the Planning Board

5 candidates for 7 spots on the School Committee

1 candidate for 1 spot for the Town Clerk

13 candidate for 9 spots on the Town Council

Biennial election Candidate Nomination Papers Filing

Board of Assessors and Board of Health no action yet.

This will likely be fairly dynamic until September 15 when the signatures required are returned and validate. The Ballot doesn't get finalized until Sep 22.

The PDF download ->  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YqLUACG02mAmtQf4sEFcj92tqt-xUi3d/view?usp=drive_link

The PDF display:

Town Clerk provides "Interested in Running for Office Guide"

Town Clerk Nancy Danello provides a guide to consider running for election.

A step by step guide:

Meet Eligibility Requirements: 

You must be a registered voter in Franklin, at least 18 years old, and a US Citizen.

Decide on the Office you are interested in: 

Franklin holds elections for elected town positions every two years in November.

Obtain Nomination Papers:

Nomination papers for the upcoming election on November 4, 2025, became available on Monday, August 4th, 2025, at the Town Clerk's Office.

It is advisable to check the Town Clerk's website or contact us directly for current hours and to schedule an appointment to obtain the papers.

Collect Signatures:

You'll need to gather signatures from a specific number of qualified Franklin voters on your nomination papers to get on the ballot. For Town Council positions, at least 100 signatures are required. For all other boards and committees 50 signatures are required.

It is recommended to collect more signatures than the minimum required, as some signatures may be disallowed during the certification process.

Town Clerk provides "Interested in Running for Office Guide"

Submit Nomination Papers:

Signed nomination papers must be submitted to the Town Clerk's Office for certification. The deadline for the November 2025 election is Monday, September 15th, 2025, by 4:00 PM.

Understand Campaign Finance Laws: 

Massachusetts has comprehensive campaign finance laws, including limits on contributions and regulations on spending. Familiarize yourself with these laws through resources like the Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) website www.ocpf.us

Important Notes:

All local elections are non-partisan and ballots do not display party affiliations.

For the most up-to-date information, it's always best to contact the Town Clerk's Office directly at 508-520-4900 or townclerk@franklinma.gov

Remember, this is a general guide, and it's essential to stay informed about all applicable deadlines and requirements set forth by the Town of Franklin and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Download the flyer as a reminder or to share ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12Vtt4azzjAcxjCxjXoMWIpi38JY3un6h/view?usp=drive_link