Halifax Town Clerk Barbara Gaynor has been getting the town ready for the first election in the past hundred years to be held during a global pandemic. But she’s up to the challenge.
The election is Saturday, June 20, and the last day to register to vote is June 10. “I will encourage online voter registration,” Gaynor said. The link to register to vote is on the town’s website – Halifax-ma.org /Town Clerk.
The polls will be open the regular hours, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and as of now, “we are still planning on the polling place being the gym at Halifax Elementary School.” She encourages early voting/absentee voting for this election.
Selectmen are meeting virtually this morning, Friday, May 8, at 9 a.m. to discuss the warrant for the annual town meeting scheduled to be held Monday, June 15. “Town meeting … is still a work in progress. There are bills before the Senate and House dealing with town meetings so I think that is part of the town delay. I take direction from the Board of Selectmen as to the when and how,” Gaynor said.
The ballot is finalized and shows only two contests, Michael J. Schlieff is opposing incumbent R. Steven Hayward for Highway Surveyor, and Alan J Dias and Ashley DiSesa are both seeking the single five-year term on the Planning Board.
The rest of the ballot looks like this:
• Board of Assessors, 3-year term, vote for one, John J.R. Shiavone (candidate for re-election)
• Board of Health, 3-year term, vote for one, Steven MacFaun
• Housing Authority, 3-year term, vote for one, no candidate
• Housing Authority, 4-year term, vote for one, Patricia McCarthy (candidate for re-election)
• Housing Authority, 5-year term, vote for one, Richard Clark, (candidate for re-election)
• Board of Library Trustees, 3-year term, vote for one, Diane Ruxton
• Park Commissioner, 1-year term, vote for one, no candidate
• Park Commissioner, 3-year term, vote for one, no candidate
• Planning Board, 5-year term, vote for one, no candidate
• Halifax Elementary School Committee, 3-year term, vote for two, Robert Johnson and Alison J. Vance (both candidates for re-election)
• Silver Lake Regional School Committee, 3-year term, vote for one, Edward Desharnais, Jr. (candidate for re-election)
• Board of Selectmen, 3-year term, vote for one, Troy E. Garron (candidate for re-election)
• Board of Water Commissioners, 3-year term, vote for one, Richard Clark, (candidate for re-election)
There is one ballot question.
“Shall the town vote to accept the provisions of section thirteen of chapter two hundred and fifty-eight of the General Laws which provides that the town shall indemnify and save harmless municipal officers, elected or appointed, from personal financial loss and expense including reasonable legal fees and costs, if any in an amount not to exceed one million dollars, arising out of any claim, demand, suit or judgement by reason of any act or omission except an intentional violation of civil rights of any person under any law, if the official at the time of such act or omission was acting with the scope of this official’s duties and employment?”