Local Election Date Rescheduled to Coincide With Special State Primaries

Easton Selectmen voted Monday night to change the April 23 town election date to April 30 to coincide with the Massachusetts Special State Primary.

The unanimous vote came after Town Clerk Jeremy Gillis appeared before the board Monday night. Gillis outlined a list of reasons for consolidating the two elections, which will take place at Oliver Ames High School.

"As there is only a week in-between, it puts a lot of pressure on my department, poll workers, police and DPW," he said.

Combining the two elections to one day will also be cost-saving, he said. According to Gillis, the town will likely see a savings of approximately $4,000 by having the elections on the same day.

Although the elections will be consolidated in one place, ballots will not be consolidated. Three ballots will be issued (local elections, republican primaries and democratic primaries). Residents voting in both state and local elections will need to check in twice and check out twice.

Gillis said originally he was "hesitant to bring a partisan tone into a non-partisan town election," but he expects both democratic and republican primaries to have equal appeal, drawing both sides of the fence to vote in Easton's town election.

"As long as there’s a primary on each side, it’s hard ot justify having two separate elections when you can have one," Board of Selectmen Chair Colleen Corona said.

Gillis said the new date will not change deadlines for the local elections, which are highlighted by a four-person Board of Selectmen race for two seats. Finance Committee Chair Carol Nestler, Planning Board member Dan Smith, Dorothy Fulginiti and Michael Maloney are all vying for the two spots.