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Write Ahead, Wellesley

Wellesley votes in Special Election today, Dec. 7

December 7, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

Vote sign

Wellesley voters today will consider two questions for a debt exclusion to fund the construction of a new Hunnewell Elementary School and a new Hardy Elementary School.

Those casting their ballots in-person for Wellesley’s Special Town Election can do so until 8pm. Voters actually in line at 8pm will be allowed to vote.

If you are voting by mail, your completed mail-in ballots must be brought to the drop box outside of Town Hall no later than Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 by 8pm.

New voting locations

  • Precincts A & C vote at Bates Elementary School, 116 Elmwood Road
  • Precinct B vote at Sprague Elementary School, 401 School Street
  • Precincts D & E vote at the Warren Building, 90 Washington Street
  • Precincts F & G at the Shipley Center, Dana Hall School, 142 Grove Street
  • Precinct H vote at the Tolles Parsons Center, Council on Aging, 500 Washington Street

More on the proposed projects.


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Filed Under: 2021 Town Election, Hardy Elementary School, Hunnewell Elementary School

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Wellesley League of Women Voters event: Hardy & Hunnewell School projects

November 16, 2021 by admin Leave a Comment

League of Women Voters, Wellesley

 

Join the League of Women Voters of Wellesley during a Zoom meeting on Wed., Nov. 17th, 7pm, to learn about the Hardy & Hunnewell School projects. After a presentation by School Committee members Catherine Mirick and Melissa Martin, there will be ample time for Q&A. Learn about project costs, anticipated state reimbursement, tax impact, and more. To register for this session, go to: https://bit.ly/3mC3Uk8.

Don’t forget to vote on December 7th.

(Mail-in ballots must be at the Town Clerk’s office by December 7th)

Filed Under: 2021 Town Election, Construction, Hardy Elementary School, Upham Elementary School

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Online calculator helps you do math on tax impact of Hardy, Hunnewell projects; register to vote by Nov. 17

November 15, 2021 by Bob Brown 4 Comments

Based on how easily Wellesley Special Town Meeting Articles 2 and 3 passed in support of funding the proposed Hardy and Hunnewell Elementary School projects, it’s highly likely that the public will vote in favor of corresponding debt exclusions on Dec. 7.

(Read the election warrant and see a sample ballot embedded below)

The projects have their detractors, who spoke at Town Meeting about considering 1 project or the other for now and trying to avoid sky high pandemic period materials costs, among other issues. But if the public does vote for the debt exclusions and you’re a property owner who intends to stay here, you’re going to want to know how much those debt exclusions are going to add to your annual property tax bills.

We heard during Special Town Meeting that the peak median annual increase would be $753. But now the town has rolled out an online tax impact estimator to give you a better idea of your own situation (we’ll need to sell a few more ads to cover our increase). Though note that calculations are based on Fiscal Year 2021 assessed valuation of properties.

tax estimator

No dollar amounts are mentioned in the ballot questions themselves. Doing so would have involved the town taking some intricate steps involving state statues, as described here.

Register to vote by Nov. 17

The last day to register to vote in the Special Election is Wednesday, Nov. 17.

Residents may register online or at Wellesley Town Hall. The Town Clerk’s office will be open extended hours on Nov. 17, until 8pm.

You must be a Wellesley resident and a U.S. citizen on the date of your registration. Voters must be 18 years old by election day.

Special Legislation also permits Vote by Mail for the December election. Visit Vote by Mail ballots  for information.

Download (PDF, Unknown)


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Filed Under: 2021 Town Election, Education, Government, Hardy Elementary School, Hunnewell Elementary School

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A must-read for Wellesley Town Meeting Members, a should-read for the rest of us

April 4, 2021 by Bob Brown 2 Comments

Becoming a Wellesley Town Meeting Member is a big responsibility and we appreciate all those who run and serve.  It requires reading the warrant of articles to be discussed and voted on at Town Meeting, and also knowing how the town operates in general.

The League of Women Voters of Wellesley’s Town Government Handbook for FY21 covers how town government is supposed to work, the town’s financial structure, and guidelines for how town reps should conduct themselves.

Annual Town Meeting will begin on Monday, April 26, and will take place via videoconferencing due to the pandemic.

Download (PDF, Unknown)


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Filed Under: 2021 Town Election, Government

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Wellesley’s post-election statistics

March 8, 2021 by Bob Brown 1 Comment

Town Hall drop boxThe most important numbers from Wellesley’s townwide and town meeting election were released last week, but now we have a fresh set of data that you might also find interesting.

During this past week’s election, total turnout was 27% of active voters in town. Of those who voted, 74% did so by mail and 26% voted in person on March 2.

Residents had the option to vote by mail, no excuses required. Prior to COVID-19, the town offered voting by mail only for absentee voters who were required to be out of town or unable to vote in person due to a disability, according to Wellesley Town Clerk KC Kato.

“Our requests tended to be between 400-1,300 ballots (highest during the presidential elections),” she says.

Here’s how the Voted by Mail (VBM) or Voted Early vs. In-Person Vote split has broken down during the pandemic:

  • June 13, 2020: 91%/9%
  • September 1, 2020: 77% (VBM or voted early)/23% in-person
  • November 3, 2020: 85% (VBM or voted early)/15% in-person
  • December 1, 2020: 91%/9%
  • March 2, 2021: 74%/26%

Note: Voted By Mail and Voted Early (when required by the State) at the Council on Aging are combined as the town’s database is unable to separate those two methods.

Whether such unbalanced splits would continue in a post-pandemic state remains to be seen, if expanded mail-in voting continues.

Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin and some state lawmakers are looking to make expanded mail-in voting permanent in the state.


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Filed Under: 2021 Town Election, Government

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Wellesley election results: Aufranc, Lanza win Select Board seats; Indigenous Peoples’ Day gets the yeses

March 2, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Incumbent Colette Aufranc retains her Select Board seat and Ann-Mara Lanza joins the board based on election results released by the Wellesley Town Clerk’s office. Aufranc this past September joined the board by winning a special election to replace a member who moved out of town.

Update (3/5/21): Here are final election results for townwide offices and ballot question, as well as for town meeting members. We’ve updated this post and the  embedded documents, too, which originally were unofficial preliminary election results.

Just over a quarter of Wellesley’s active voters cast ballots either by mail or in person to culminate a tense election season.

Odessa Sanchez, who lost her bid for one of the two open Select Board seats, tallied the most votes for one of the two Wellesley Housing Authority five-year terms up for grabs. Incumbent Janice Coduri earned the votes  for the other open seat. Micah O’Neil finished third.

In the other contested race, Scott Bender remains on the Board of Public Works, securing a three-year term.

On the non-binding referendum regarding the replacement of Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Wellesley, some 49% of voters said Yes, 43% No, and 8% left the box blank. Six of eight precincts voted Yes.

The Committee for Indigenous Peoples Day issued this statement following the results being made public: “The preliminary results are in, and you did it! Your voice and your vote sent a clear message on election day, that the town of Wellesley stands in solidarity and support for Indigenous Peoples in our community and beyond. When we asked for your endorsements you put a name to your vote. When we called for volunteers you showed up. When we were out in the streets you honked, applauded, and brought us Dunkin! For all this and more we are forever grateful.”

The Committee to Preserve Wellesley’s Italian American Heritage had campaigned to defeat the non-binding ballot question, arguing that the second Monday in October should celebrate Italian American heritage, wth Indigenous People being honored in November.

The organization issued a statement after the results were made public: “We thank all of our supporters! Close to two thousand voices spoke up in favor of unity, inclusion, and tolerance and should not be silenced. Send your letters and make your phone calls to the Select Board, asking them to honor the Town’s Tolerance Pledge. Every culture should feel welcome in Wellesley. Honor Italian American heritage and, by extension, all immigrants on the second Monday in October, and honor Indigenous Peoples during the month of November.”

(Question #1: “Should the Select Board, with the understanding that since 1977 Indigenous people of our country have requested Indigenous Peoples Day as a recognition of their humanity, culture, and history and further, that our country was built on Native lands, proclaim the second Monday of October henceforth be commemorated as Indigenous Peoples’ Day and cease to recognize Columbus Day in Wellesley in recognition of the position of Indigenous Peoples as natives to these lands, and the suffering they faced during and after the European conquest? This question is not binding.”)

Thanks to all who ran, campaigned, and voted.

Correction (3/3/21): We’ve updated the voting %s on the ballot question from an earlier miscalculation that didn’t take blank votes into consideration. Sorry for the error.

sign holders
Sign holders braved strong winds and cold temps to back candidates at the Warren Center polling site.  Photo courtesy of Sunny Zhou

Download (PDF, Unknown)

Download (PDF, Unknown)

Filed Under: 2021 Town Election, Government

Wellesley votes in Town Election today, Mar. 2nd

March 2, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Those casting their ballots in-person for Wellesley’s Annual Town Election are facing chilly temperatures that aren’t expected to climb out of the 20s, as well as  strong winds and bright sunshine. We ventured out this morning to get the job done. It was easy-peasy socially distant experience. No lines. No crowds. I was directed to pick up a black felt-tip pen and make my way over to the voting booth. After making my choices, I slipped the ballot into the ballot box and collected my “I voted” sticker.

Polling places are open until 8pm. Voters actually in line at 8pm will be allowed to vote.

If you are voting by mail, your completed mail-in ballots must be brought to the drop box outside of Town Hall no later than Tuesday, March 2, 2021 by 8pm.

Voting in Wellesley
All dressed up with someplace to go—Mrs. Swellesley has completed her civic duty. Polls are open for in-person voting until 8pm.

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Wellesley Town Election guide

Filed Under: 2021 Town Election

Wellesley Town election guide

March 1, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Wellesley’s Annual Town Election will take place on March 2, 2021. Here is The Swellesley Report’s guide on all you need to know about casting your vote.


Ways to cast your vote in Wellesley

Vote by mail: Completed mail-in ballots may be sent via USPS to the Town Clerk’s Office or brought to the drop box outside of Town Hall. Completed mail-in ballots must be received by the Town Clerk no later than Tuesday, March 2, 2021 by 8pm.

Note: applications to vote by mail are no longer being accepted (the last day to get an app to the Town Clerk was Feb. 24).

Vote in person at the polls:

  • Precincts A (Bates), B (Sprague) and C (Upham) vote at the Municipal Light Plant at 4 Municipal Way.
  • Precincts D (Schofield) and E (Fiske) vote at the Warren Building at 90 Washington Street.
  • Precinct F (Dana Hall) votes at the Wellesley Village Congregational Church at 2 Central Street.
  • Precinct G votes at the Wellesley Free Library at 530 Washington Street.
  •  Precinct H votes at the Tolles Parsons Center – Council on Aging at 500 Washington Street. Polling Locations Map

The polls will be open 7am – 8pm.

Don’t know which precinct you’re in? Here’s how to find out where to vote in Wellesley, Massachusetts.


Wellesley Town Election candidates:

Contested races (names are listed in the order on which they appear on the ballot):

  • Select Board (3 candidates, 2 openings—Colette Aufranc; Odessa Sanchez; Ann-Mara Lanza)
  • Housing Authority 5-year seat (3 candidates, 2 openings—Micah O’Neil; Janice Coduri; Odessa Sanchez)
  • Board of Public Works (2 candidates, 1 opening—Scott Bender; John Bubeck)

Uncontested races:

  • Moderator (1 opening—Mark Kaplan)
  • Board of Assessors (1 opening—W. Arthur Garrity, III)
  • Board of Health (1 opening—Marcia Testa Simonson)
  • Trustees of the Wellesley Free Library (2 openings—Diane Savage; Maura Murphy)
  • Natural Resources Commission (2 openings—Laura Robert-Fragasso; Beatrice Bezmalinovic Dhebar)
  • Planning Board (1 opening—Kathleen Elizabeth Woodward)
  • Housing Authority, 1-year term (1 opening—Renee Spencer)
  • Recreation Commission, 3-year term (2 openings—Paul Cramer; Mark Wolfson)
  • Recreation Commission, 1-year term (1 opening—Anthony Munchak, Jr.)
  • School Committee (2 openings—Linda Chow; Leda Murcia Eizenberg)
  • Town Clerk (1 opening—KC Kato)

Non-binding referendum question:

Question #1: “Should the Select Board, with the understanding that since 1977 Indigenous people of our country have requested Indigenous Peoples Day as a recognition of their humanity, culture, and history and further, that our country was built on Native lands, proclaim the second Monday of October henceforth be commemorated as Indigenous Peoples’ Day and cease to recognize Columbus Day in Wellesley in recognition of the position of Indigenous Peoples as natives to these lands, and the suffering they faced during and after the European conquest? This question is not binding.”

Vote Yes or No


Links to The Swellesley  Report’s candidate interviews for contested races:

Select Board, 3-year term (3 candidates, 2 openings)

Colette Aufranc

Odessa Sanchez

Ann Mara-Lanza

Housing Authority, 5-year term (3 candidates, 2 openings)

Micah O’Neil

Janice Coduri

Odessa Sanchez

Board of Public Works, 3-year term (2 candidates, 1 opening)

Scott Bender

John Bubeck


Town Meeting, contested precincts

Precinct B—11 candidates for 10 seats

Precinct C—13 candidates for 10 seats

Precinct E—11 candidates for 10 seats

Precinct G—13 candidates for 10 seats

Precinct H—17 candidates for 10 seats

See list of all Town Meeting candidates here.

Filed Under: 2021 Town Election, Government, Politics

Conversation with the Wellesley candidates

February 18, 2021 by Deborah Brown Leave a Comment

Sustainable WellesleySustainable Wellesley will hold a virtual Conversation with the Candidates via Zoom on Feb. 24, 7:30pm.

You will be able to access the Zoom meeting via Sustainable Wellesley’s website.

Meet the candidates running for open Board seats in Wellesley, and hear their thoughts on how sustainability should be woven into the fabric of those boards going forward.

Send questions in advance to info@SustainableWellesley.com.

Filed Under: 2021 Town Election, Government, Politics

Here’s your list of Wellesley Town Meeting member candidates

February 14, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

Here’s the list of Wellesley Town Meeting members running in the March 2 election.

Requests for mail-in ballots are due by Feb. 24.

lussier town meeting moderator wellesley
Town Meeting, back when it was in person

 

According to the Wellesley town website: The Town Meeting is the legislative body for the Town of Wellesley. 240 voting town meeting members are elected by precincts in the Annual Town Election on the first Tuesday of March every year except in years in which there is a Presidential Primary Election. Each precinct has 30 members elected to three-year staggered terms. 

Annual Town Meeting will begin on Monday, April 26, and will take place via videoconferencing due to the pandemic.

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Filed Under: 2021 Town Election, Government

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