Franklin Election Collection - 2021

The official results are available. A few votes are added to the totals previously shared but no major changes in positions occur.

• Town clerk = Danello - 4114; Santorsola - 1150
• Planning Board: Halligan - 1552; Padula - 1701; Wierling - 3431; Williams - 3348
• School Committee: *bottom 5 - D'Angelo - 2330; Scofield - 2487; Bisson - 1424; McCormack - 1473; Videra - 1057 *Top 7 - Spencer - 3643; Stokes - 3631; Bernstein - 3056; Callaghan - 2987; Charles - 3081; McNeill - 2806; Whitmore - 2887
• Town Council: bottom 3 - Bissanti - 1992; Callaway-Tripp - 1559; Earls - 1840;  Top 9 - Chandler - 3525; Dellorco - 3808; Frongillo - 4053; Hamblen - 3689; Jones - 3661; Mercer - 3812; Pellegri - 3734; Cormier-Leger - 3119; Sheridan - 3192
• Board of Assessors - Feeley - 4096
• Board of Health - Sweet - 4046
• Approx. turnout 5,754 for a turnout of 23.5% of the 24,456 registered voters.

https://www.franklinma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif6896/f/pages/official_results_-_biennial_local_election_11-2-2021.pdf

Unofficial results

• Town clerk = Danello - 4083; Santorsola - 1145
• Planning Board: Halligan - 1535; Padula - 1685; Wierling - 3418; Williams - 3337
• School Committee: *bottom 5 - D'Angelo - 2309; Scofield - 2470; Bisson - 1418; McCormack - 1465; Videra - 1054 *Top 7 - Spencer - 3623; Stokes - 3614; Bernstein - 3045; Callaghan - 2969; Charles - 3069; McNeill - 2795; Whitmore - 2876
• Town Council: bottom 3 - Bissanti - 1976; Callaway-Tripp - 1550; Earls - 1832;  Top 9 - Chandler - 3501; Dellorco - 3786; Frongillo - 4030; Hamblen - 3668; Jones - 3637; Mercer - 3788; Pellegri - 3708; Cormier-Leger - 3106; Sheridan - 3176
• Board of Assessors - Feeley - 4065
• Board of Health - Sweet - 4017
• Approx. turnout 5700 for about 24%

** Unofficial election results:

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/11/unofficial-results-town-of-franklin.html

This will collect all the Franklin Matters posts with information on the Franklin Town Election scheduled for Nov 2, 2021. The most recent items will be on the top of the list with the older items below.

Note: The candidate info gathered here is shared with the Franklin Voter guide to create one place for all the info.

While called the "Town of Franklin", we operate as a city form of government with a Council, an Administrator hired by the Council to manage the town operations, and a School Committee which hires a Superintendent to manage the school district operations. 

Every two years, the entire Town Council (9 positions) and School Committee (7 positions) are up for election. There are other elected positions that have staggered terms so some of them are available every two years or four years. 

The Town Clerk is normally elected every four years, but with Nancy Danello taking on the role as "acting Town Clerk" in September 2020 when Teresa Burr resigned, the position is up for election this year.

All precincts vote in one location; Franklin High School. The precincts are used to balance the voter numbers across the town and are set at the State level. Our State Senate representation is split between two sets of precincts while we have a Representative in the House that covers all of Franklin and a few precincts in Medway. 

Election Timeline

• Early voting opened Tuesday, Oct 12, 2021 - it will run during normal business hours in the Town Clerk's Office
• Polls open 6 AM on Tuesday, November 2, 2021. They close at 8 PM. It is anticipated results could be available by 9 PM that night.
• Please visit the Town of Franklin website www.franklinma.gov/town-clerk or call the Town Clerks Office at 508-520-4900

Candidate Information: 

Candidate	Voter Guide	Franklin Matters	Frank Presents
Board of Assessors
Chris Feeley
Board of Health
Bridget Sweet	response	Audio
Planning Board
Joseph F Halligan Jr
Anthony D Padula
Beth Wierling	response	audio	video
Jennifer D Williams	response	audio	video
School Committee
Jennifer L D'Angelo		text
Mary Jane Scofield		audio
Denise Spencer	response	audio
Elise Stokes	response	audio
Camille N Bernstein	response	audio	video
Mark A Bisson		text	video
David C Callaghan	response	audio	video
Al Charles	response	audio
John McCormack		text
David J McNeill	response	audio
Dashe Videra	response		video
Meghan L Whitmore	response	audio	video
Town Clerk
Nancy Danello	response	audio	video
Lynne R Santorsola
Town Council
Andrew M Bissanti			video
Brian M Chandler
Robert R Dellorco	response	audio
Cobi Frongillo	response	audio	video
Melanie J Hamblen	response	audio	video
Glenn F Jones	response	audio
Thomas D Mercer	response	audio	video
Deborah L Pellegri
Jane Callaway-Tripp		text	video
Theodore D Cormier-Leger	response	audio	video
Alan R Earls	response	audio	video
Patrick C Sheridan	response	audio

If any of the links above don’t work for you, try going directly to each source

• Franklin Voter Guide ->  https://www.franklinvoterguide.org/2021-voter-guide 
• Franklin Matters Election Collection  ->

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/07/franklin-election-collection-2021.html 

• Franklin TV video on Demand ->   https://franklintv.vod.castus.tv/vod/ 
• For a PDF copy of the candidate table ->

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14ULTHljoRGWZecrBzkUkoYBeUCBfC0S2/view?usp=sharing

Election Updates:

• Voices of Franklin: Colin Cass proud of the diverse election results -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/11/voices-of-franklin-colin-cass-proud-of.html
• Official results - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/11/official-results-town-of-franklin.html
• Franklin Matters editorial comment -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/11/election-results-could-lead-to.html
• Unofficial results - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/11/unofficial-results-town-of-franklin.html
• Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm or 102.9) to broadcast results Tuesday evening, after the polls close at 8 PM - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/11/franklin-public-radio-election-night.html
• Voices of Franklin: Karen Landers - "Time for a change on the Planning Board" -  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/11/voices-of-franklin-karen-landers-time.html
• MA Open Meeting Law updates -  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/ma-open-meeting-law-items-of-interest.html
• Candidate link info - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/links-to-candidate-info-for-franklin-ma.html
• Franklin Public Schools complaint process for books and curriculum -  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/franklin-public-schools-public.html
• Franklin Interfaith Council statement and call to pledge -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/a-call-to-our-community-lovefranklin.html
• Superintendent Dr. Sara Ahern's Letter to the Franklin Community in response to the October 26th, 2021 School Committee Meeting  -  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/superintendents-letter-to-franklin.html
  
• Voices of Franklin: Alan Earls "I heard the bells on Christmas Day..."  -  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/voices-of-franklin-alan-earls-i-heard.html
  
• Voices of Franklin: Raymond Milici advocates Support for Franklin United  -  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/voices-of-franklin-raymond-milici.html
  
•  Voices of Franklin: Aaron Gouveia for candidates that support diversity -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/voices-of-franklin-aaron-gouveia-for.html
•  School Committee meeting 10/26/21 (YouTube video) -    https://youtu.be/5xitDgZEHMw 

• Candidate Forum (10/21/21) video available on demand -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/candidate-forum-video-available-on.html

• Milford Daily News - Town Council candidate summaries -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/milford-daily-news-town-council.html

• Milford Daily News - School Committee & Planning Board candidate summaries -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/milford-daily-news-school-committee.html

• Milford Daily News - Town Clerk candidate summaries -   https://www.milforddailynews.com/story/country-gazette/2021/10/28/franklin-clerk-faces-challenge-posting-town-election/8552583002/

• Franklin TV broadcast schedule for Sunday (10/24) through Friday (10/29) -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/franklin-tv-candidate-interviews-and.html

• Candidate Forum Audio (10/21/21) -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/candidate-forum-audio-oct-21-2021.html

• Candidate Forum (10/21/21) - five candidate statements -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/candidate-forum-statements-oct-21-2021.html

• Voices of Franklin - Colin Cass on partisan what it means and doesn't mean - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/voices-of-franklin-colin-cass-on-what.html

• Franklin United campaign launch -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/franklin-united-campaign-launch-oct-23.html

• Broadcast info for Candidates Forum - Oct 21 - 6:30 PM -https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/broadcast-info-for-candidates-forum-oct.html

• Voices of Franklin - Robert Vacca on "Education is More Than Back to Basics" - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/voices-of-franklin-robert-vacca.html
• Franklin TV schedule for "Frank Presents" for week of Oct 18 -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/franklin-tv-schedule-for-frank-presents.html
• Candidate Forum - Oct 14, 2021 - YouTube link - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/franklin-ma-candidate-forum-oct-14-2021.html
• Specimen ballot sample ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/specimen-ballot-for-franklin-ma.html
• Franklin United Municipal PAC endorses candidates -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/franklin-united-municipal-pac-endorses.html
• Voices of Franklin: Jayson Joyce on "politics and baseball" -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/voices-of-franklin-jayson-joyce-on.html
• Candidate night - Oct 14 at 7 PM -  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/candidates-night-oct-14-2021-7-pm.html
• Voices of Franklin: Colin Cass on School Committee candidates -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/voices-of-franklin-colin-cass-on-school.html
• Voices of Franklin: Robert Vacca on School Committee candidates -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/voices-of-franklin-robert-vacca-on.html
• Franklin TV: "Frank Presents" candidate interviews schedule for week of Oct 11, 2021 - https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/franklin-tv-frank-presents-candidate.html
• Franklin TV:  Candidate Forum teasers   -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/franklin-tv-are-you-candidate-theres.html
• Early voting schedule; absentee and vote by mail applications available -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/franklin-town-clerk-early-voting-begins.html
• Franklin TV schedule for week of 10/03/21 - "Frank Presents" ->   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/franklin-tv-view-frank-presents.html
• Franklin Voters Guide is available (and a work in progress)   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/10/the-franklin-voters-guide-is-available.html
• 'Almost final' listing of candidates set -   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/candidates-listing-almost-final-with.html
• Acting Town Clerk Nancy Danello provides info on the Nov 2 election (audio)  -  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/fm-601-acting-town-clerk-with-things-to.html
• Candidate interview questions finalized   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/election-2021-candidate-interview.html
• 5 candidates remain outstanding to return nomination papers  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/5-candidates-to-turn-in-nomination.html
• School Committee candidate campaign pages   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/school-committee-candidate-campaign.html
• Statement by Tracey Novick on School Committee responsibilities   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/the-governance-of-school-committee-that.html
• Wicked Local on ballots filing up and link to candidate question form  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/09/wicked-local-franklin-ballot-filling-up.html
• 18 candidates have turned in their nomination papers   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/18-candidates-have-turned-in-their.html
• Enough candidates file for Town Council, School Committee and Planning Board  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/franklins-local-election-draws-more.html
• Reminder to potential candidates, still time to pull papers   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/still-time-to-pull-papers-obtain.html
• Cobi Frongillo press release announcing his campaign for reelection  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/announcing-re-election-bid-cobi.html
• Ballot question process starts for 30 initiatives   https://commonwealthmagazine.org/politics/from-gig-economy-to-tci-30-ballot-questions-filed/
• Gov Bakers signs bill extending early voting through Dec 15, 2021  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/07/mma-gov-signs-law-extending-voting.html
• Offer to candidates for Town Election   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/07/offer-to-candidates-for-town-of.html

Info on the Positions for Election 

• Franklin Election 2021: What does the Town Council do?   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/franklin-election-2021-what-does-town.html
• Franklin Election 2021: What does the School Committee do?   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/franklin-election-2021-what-does-school.html
• Franklin Election 2021: What does the Town Clerk do?   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/franklin-election-2021-what-does-town_01476030939.html
• Franklin Election 2021: What does the Board of Assessors do?   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/franklin-election-2021-what-does-board.html
• Franklin Election 2021: What does the Planning Board do?   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/franklin-election-2021-what-does.html
• Franklin Election 2021: What does the Board of Health do?   https://www.franklinmatters.org/2021/08/franklin-election-2021-what-does-board_01439513653.html

Franklin Voters Guide - https://www.franklinvoterguide.org/2021-voter-guide

Franklin Election Collection - 2021

Massachusetts State Senate Overrides Governor’s Vetoes on Fiscal Year 2022 Funding

Massachusetts State Senate Overrides Governor's Vetoes on Fiscal Year 2022 Funding

Ensures adequate funding for school districts, RTAs, police training, behavioral health and more 

The Massachusetts Senate on Thursday passed a bill to override Governor Charlie Baker's vetoes on certain items in the Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22) budget passed earlier this month. The actions taken by the Senate will ensure adequate funding for school districts, regional transit authorities (RTAs), and public and mental health supports, as well as the implementation of last year's landmark police reform bill. Additionally, the bill includes measures to reinstate certain guidance relevant to state bodies such as the MBTA and prison facilities.

"Our Fiscal Year 2022 budget was carefully crafted and debated to ensure the success of our efforts to get back to better by focusing on resources and services that are critical to everyday life in the Commonwealth," stated Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). "The Senate refuses to compromise on investing in public transportation, our schools, and behavioral health supports, among other things, which are so important to our recovery. I would like to thank Chair Rodrigues, the entire Ways and Means committee, and my colleagues for acting swiftly to override the Governor's actions.

"The votes we took to swiftly override the Governor's vetoes ensure we stay the course and uphold the spirit of a forward-looking, fiscally responsible Fiscal Year 2022 budget plan that this Senate passed unanimously a few weeks ago," said Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport), Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. "I want to thank my friend, Senate President Spilka for her close counsel and leadership, Chair Michlewitz for his continued partnership, the members and staff of Ways and Means for their hard work and my colleagues and their staffs for their input throughout this process. Collectively, our actions today support our Commonwealth and our communities, providing municipalities with critical resources necessary to meet the requirements of police reform, preserving an equitable funding stream for our regional transit authorities, while taking a common-sense approach to fulfill future obligations we know exist—fully funding the Student Opportunity and meeting our state pension needs."

Many of the Governor's vetoes were cost-cutting measures deemed unnecessary by the Legislature in light of the state's need to invest in crucial programs and services. Gubernatorial vetoes threatened $150,000 in funding for the children's behavioral health advisory council, as well as $150,000 for Emergency Family Assistance Shelters. With the Legislature's overrides, these funds are now restored.

To offset the cost of charter schools on school districts, this legislation reinstates a policy of 100 per cent charter school tuition reimbursement for school districts which have reached the spending cap on charter schools, thereby providing $2.9 million to school districts across the Commonwealth. For local transportation, $3.5 million is reinstated to enable Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) to operate effectively as use of public transportation picks back up.

Last year's omnibus police reform legislation, An Act relative to justice, equity and accountability in law enforcement in the Commonwealth, included provisions requiring cities and towns in Massachusetts to follow new officer training standards. In line with this, the Legislature set aside $1 million in funding to pay cities and towns for costs incurred by new training programs, which the Governor vetoed entirely. The override legislation reinstates this funding so that cities and towns can be compliant with the police reform law without additional financial burden.

Citing fiscal concerns, the Senate also voted to further delay implementation of a tax deduction for charitable donations until at least 2023.

"The trigger for the charitable tax deduction was the income tax hitting 5 per cent, and that happened January 1, 2020," said Senator Adam G. Hinds (D-Pittsfield). "In the period between the triggering event and the start of the implementation of the charitable tax deduction, COVID-19 hit and completely changed our economic picture. A delay makes sense until we have more clarity on the economy and our revenue absent federal assistance."

The Fiscal Year 2022 budget conference report included two transfers of FY22 funds to help support known obligations that the Commonwealth will face in the future: fully funding the Student Opportunity Act (SOA) and unfunded state pension obligations. The Governor sent an amendment back asserting that there may not be sufficient surplus funds to make the transfers as proposed and recommended using FY21 funds instead. The Senate adopted a further amendment yesterday that suggests funding these transfers to the highest level possible given actual revenues at the time the transfer is to take place, thus providing flexibility to react to an uncertain future revenue picture while still requiring surplus funded to be dedicated to cover these future obligations.

In addition to funding projects across the Commonwealth, the legislation passed on Thursday encourages the MBTA to develop 'shovel-ready projects,' or projects in their final stages of development, in anticipation of incoming federal dollars and their requirements. The Senate also reinstated guidance on releasing, transitioning, or furloughing inmates from Massachusetts prisons in a timely manner.

Having previously been passed by the House, the overrides now return to the Governor's desk with a veto-proof majority.

Massachusetts State Senate Overrides Governor’s Vetoes

MMA: "Gov. signs law extending voting provisions through Dec. 15"

From the Mass Municipal Association (MMA) we share: 

"Gov. Charlie Baker today signed a $261.6 million supplemental budget for fiscal 2021 that includes provisions to extend early voting through Dec. 15, 2021.

With regard to elections, the new law:

• Extends no-excuse absentee voting for all elections through Dec. 15, 2021
• Authorizes in-person early voting for any regular or special municipal preliminary, primary or general election on or before Dec. 15, 2021
• Authorizes early voting by mail for any regular or special or state preliminary primary or general election on or before Dec. 15, 2021
• Extends the right of voters ordered to quarantine to select an alternative location for delivery of ballots for annual or special municipal or state primary or election held on or before Dec. 15, 2021
• Allows a select board, board of selectmen, town council or city council — after a public hearing and by recorded and public vote at least 45 days prior to the date of an election — to opt-out of allowing early voting by mail for any annual or special municipal preliminary or municipal election"

Continue reading the article online from MMA
https://www.mma.org/gov-signs-law-extending-voting-provisions-through-dec-15/ 

Direct ink to the legislative bill -> https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H3973

MMA: "Gov. signs law extending voting provisions through Dec. 15"