Wellesley 2024 election guide—vote Tuesday, March 5
Town of Wellesley election 2024 updates:
Wellesley votes during the annual town-wide election AND the Presidential primary election on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
Below is information about the election.
Swellesley interviews the candidates for contested races
Meet the Select Board candidates
- Ann-Mara S. Lanza
- Colette Emma Aufranc
- Odessa M.B. Sanchez
- Marjorie R. Freiman
- Beatrice Bezmalinovic Dhebar
- Kenneth C. Largess III
- Steven Park
Meet the Planning Board candidates
- Patricia Ann Mallett
- Grant R. Pollock
Vote in person on Election Day
Election Day is March 5, 2024. Polls will be open 7am-8pm.
Sample ballots for each precinct can be found here.
Polling locations
Precincts A, C: Bates School, 116 Elmwood Rd.
Precinct B, Sprague School, 401 School St.
Precincts D, E: Warren Building, 90 Washington Street
Precinct F, G: Dana Hall School, Shipley Center, 142 Grove St.
Precinct H: Tolles Parsons Center, 500 Washington Street
Call the Town Clerk’s office for additional information on any voting question (781-431-1019 ext 2252).
Vote-by-Mail Ballots must be received no later than Tuesday March 5 at 8pm
Presidential Primary Vote by Mail ballots were mailed out on Monday, Feb. 5. Residents who requested these ballots should have received them by now.
Voters who requested mailed ballots for All Elections will receive a separate ballot for Wellesley’s Annual Election. These Vote by Mail ballots were mailed on Monday, February 12.
The Town Clerk’s office says local election ballots were mailed separately from the Presidential Primary ballots due to the required nominations process for Wellesley elected officials, and printing time.
Both the Presidential Primary Election and the local Annual Election take place on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
All ballots must be received no later than Tuesday March 5 at 8pm Ballots may be returned via U.S. mail, to the Town Clerk’s Office at the temporary Town Hall location at 888 Worcester Street, Suite 140, or at the drop box at the Police Station at 485 Washington Street (near the painted utility boxes).
Early voting
Early in-person voting opportunities have passed.
Absentee voting
The deadline to request a Vote by Mail Ballot (5 business days prior to the election) has passed.
Election questions
Call the Town Clerk’s office for additional information on any voting question (781-431-1019 ext 2252).
The dates have passed to submit paperwork to run for town-wide offices and Town Meeting.
Didn’t turn in nomination papers but still want to run for town-wide office? A pathway is still open. Residents interested in being write-in candidates are encouraged to declare their intent with the Town Clerk prior to the March 5, 2024 election.
Elected offices up for election March 5, 2024
There are three contested races this year, the most competitive being for Select Board—four candidates are running for only two open slots for the chance to join the town’s chief executive board.
The Natural Resources Commission has three candidates running for two open positions, while Planning Board has two candidates running for one opening.
Here is a list of the candidates, in ballot order:
MODERATOR—vote for one for a one-year term
- Mark G. Kaplan
SELECT BOARD—vote for two for a three-year term
Get to know the Select Board candidates—see The Swellesley Report’s interviews here.
- Ann-Mara S. Lanza
- Colette Emma Aufranc
- Odessa M.B. Sanchez
- Marjorie R. Freiman
Update (1/23/24): Peggy Rossano, who had been a candidate, has withdrawn.
BOARD OF ASSESSORS—vote for one for a three-year term
- W. Arthur Garrity III
BOARD OF HEALTH—vote for one for a three-year term
- Marcia Testa Simonson
WELLESLEY HOUSING AUTHORITY—vote for one for a five-year term
- Lisa Kaufman Heyison
WELLESLEY LIBRARY TRUSTEES—vote for two for three-year terms
- Diane C. Savage
- Maura Elizabeth Murphy
NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION—vote for two for three-year terms
Get to know the NRC candidates—see The Swellesley Report’s interviews here.
- Beatrice Bezmalinovic Dhebar
- Kenneth C. Largess III
- Steven Park
PLANNING BOARD—vote for one for a five-year term
Get to know the Planning Board candidates—see The Swellesley Report’s interviews here.
- Patricia Ann Mallett
- Grant R. Pollock
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS—vote for one for a three-year term
- Scott K. Bender
RECREATION COMMISSION—vote for two for three-year terms
- Paul Cramer
- Mark W. Wolfson
SCHOOL COMMITTEE—vote for two for three-year terms
- Niki Brinkman-Ofenloch
- Linda Hsiu-Ling Chow
TOWN CLERK—vote for one for a three-year term
- KC Kato
Candidates for Town Meeting 2024
Town Meeting is the place where everybody wants to be. Five out of the eight precincts are contested races. Precinct B is especially competitive, with 18 candidates vying for 13 open seats.
See the list of all Town Meeting candidates here.
Watch Wellesley Media and get to know the candidates
Wellesley Media has invited candidates in contested races for town-wide office to make a campaign speech to residents. A bunch have taken up the local access channel on that offer. You can see the program here.
Wellesley Media has broadcasted “Conversation with the Candidates,” hosted by Sustainable Wellesley.
Wellesley Media has broadcasted “Meet the Candidates Night,” hosted by the League of Women Voters.
Dates that have passed:
Dates that have passed:
Absentee voting
Absentee ballots are no longer available. Information here on how to qualify for an absentee ballot.
Early in-person voting
Early in person voting is no longer available.
Registered voters may cast ballots for both the Presidential Primary Election and Annual Local Election at the Wellesley Free Library Main Branch (530 Washington Street), 9am-5pm, Thursday, Feb. 29 and Friday, March 1.
Evening early in-person voting will also take place at Waterstone of Wellesley (27 Washington Street) on Thur., February 29, 5:30pm-7:30pm.
Last day to submit an application for a Vote by Mail ballot is February 27
Voters are encouraged to Vote by Mail. The application is also available here.
If you are a registered voter, and you have not received a Vote by Mail application, contact the Town Clerk’s office at (781-431-1019 ext 2252).
To find the status of your ballot request, go to the Secretary of State Track My Ballot Website. If it says “Pending,” your request has been received and a ballot will be mailed when it is available. Ballots were mailed out on February 5.
All Vote-By-Mail ballots must be received no later than Tuesday March 5 at 8pm Ballots may be returned via U.S. mail, to the Town Clerk’s Office at the temporary Town Hall location at 888 Worcester Street, Suite 140, or at the drop box at the Police Station at 485 Washington Street (near the painted utility boxes).
Voters who have received a Vote by Mail ballot may change their mind and vote in-person only if they have not returned their ballot. Only the first ballot submitted will be counted.
Last day to register to vote is February 24
The last day to register to vote is Saturday, February 24 at 5pm. The Town Clerk’s Office will be accepting voter registrations at early voting sites on February 24. To register online, go to the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s website.
Meet the Candidates Night—Feb. 15
The Wellesley League of Women Voters will host its annual “Meet the Candidates Night” on Thursday, Feb. 15, 6:30pm-9pm at the Wellesley Free Library, 530 Washington St. The in-person event will be an information-filled forum as the town’s local candidates running for office in Wellesley make presentations and answer questions from the audience.
Here’s the program for Meet the Candidates Night.
Meet the Candidates Night will be live streamed on cable channels Comcast 9/Verizon 39; on demand; or livestream here.
Wellesley Media will have the recording up in a day or so after the event.
For questions, information or to send questions for candidates, please email: LWVWvoterservice@gmail.com
Meet Wellesley’s Select Board candidates—Feb. 13
Join the Charles River Regional Chamber for an online discussion with the four candidates vying for two seats on the Wellesley Select Board in the March 5 town election: Incumbents Colette Aufranc and Ann-Mara Lanza and challengers Marjorie Freiman and Odessa Sanchez. The focus will be on economic development and nonprofits, but more general topics may be discussed as well. Questions from the Wellesley business community in advance, or during the event are welcome. This event will be recorded and shared later.
Date/Time: Tuesday, February 13, 2-3pm via Zoom
Fee: Free, open to all Wellesley businesses and residents (registration is open)
The Charles River Regional Chamber serves business professionals who work/live in Needham, Newton, Watertown, Wellesley and the surrounding communities.
Conversation with the Candidates—Feb. 7
Join Sustainable Wellesley’s “Conversation with the Candidates” on Wednesday, February 7, 7pm, at the Wellesley Free Library, 530 Washington St.
Meet candidates running for the many important town positions and hear where candidates stand on issues specifically related to sustainability.
Deadlines for March 5, 2024 town-wide election
Reminder: papers for town-wide offices and Town Meeting Member candidates must be returned to the Town Clerk at Wellesley Town Hall’s temporary location at 888 Worcester St. (rt. 9, eastbound side), Wellesley, MA, 02482.
Tuesday Jan. 30, 2024 at 5 pm: Deadline to return nomination papers for new TMM candidates. Ten signatures of registered voters from the precinct are required.
Tuesday Jan. 23, 2024, at 5pm: Deadline for incumbent Town Meeting Members to file a notice of candidacy with the Town Clerk.
Friday Jan. 26, 2024 at 5 pm: Deadline to obtain nomination papers for new TMM candidates
Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, at 5pm: Deadline to return nomination papers for town-wide offices to the Town Clerk for certification.
Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, at 5pm: Deadline to obtain nomination papers for town-wide offices. Signatures of fifty voters registered in the Town are required (any precinct).
