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Work session urges charter changes to give write‑in candidates notice and forum time
Summary
Presenters recommended adding a 14‑day public-notice requirement for write‑in candidate deadlines and moving write‑in cutoffs to a working day or two weeks before election to allow candidate forums and voter outreach.
Susan Cordell flagged a gap in the town charter: write‑in candidate deadlines currently have no required public notice. She recommended inserting a 14‑day notice requirement so write‑in candidates have the same visibility as regular filers. "One of my recommendations is just put in a 14 day notice," she said, arguing that equal notice would make the process more above‑board.
Cordell also noted that write‑in deadlines often fall on nonworking days and recommended moving the write‑in filing date to a working day (for example, the previous Friday close of business) or to at least two weeks before election day to allow time for candidate forums organized by groups such as the League of Women Voters. The board discussed adding an opt‑in checkbox on nomination forms to record candidates’ willingness to participate in a forum, which would help the League contact participants efficiently. No formal change was adopted in the provided transcript.
