Day 5: The Friday that fizzled.
The first week of the city of Manchester’s 2015 election filing period has come to a close and it doesn’t appear as if the Barbarians are storming the gates to get on the ballot. Though a handful filed for lower ward offices, there were no filings on Friday for mayor, welfare commissioner, alderman or school board. (Correction: Richard DP Martin filed for school board in Ward 4, creating a primary this September. We regret we missed that filing in our review of the list.) The week got off to a promising start with several candidates filing on the first day. Most of those who have filed are incumbents seeking reelection. Incumbents who are have yet to file for reelection, including Ward 4 Alderman Jim Roy, who is expected to file and Ward 4 School Committeewoman Amy Bradley who is not. Neither incumbent Alderman Tony Sapienza, who is expected to seek reelection after winning a special election just two months ago, nor incumbent School Committeeman Ted Rokas have filed. It is uncertain whether or not Rokas will seek another term. Alderman at-Large Joe Kelley Levasseur has also not yet filed his candidacy.
Incumbents who won’t be filing for reelection include: Ward 1 Alderman Joyce Craig his running for mayor; Ward 3 School Committeeman Christopher Stewart who resigned after moving to Ward 1, where he’s declared his candidacy for alderman; Ward 6, Alderman Garth Corriveau has filed to run for alderman at-Large and School Committeewoman Robyn Dunphy who resigned to move to Massachusetts, where her husband found a job.
Dozens of ward offices, which include the positions of moderator, ward clerk and selectman remain without candidates. These positions are responsibilities are exclusive to the conduct of city, state and federal elections in each ward. Since adopting a “non-partisan” election system, the city has struggled to field candidates for most offices, especially these “lower” ward offices involved with operating the polls. In the previous partisal system, the city’s political parties had one week following the filing period to fill what few vacant positions remained on the ballot, guaranteeing the positions would be filled. Under the current non-partisan system, that cannot happen, leaving city officials scrambling each year to find epople willing to put their name on the ballot.
The positions of moderator, ward clerk and selectmen are compensated on an hourly basis for the work required of them
The filing period ends when the Office of the City Clerk closes its doors at 5:00 PM on Friday, July 24, 2015.
Click here to see a complete list of those who have filed to date.
Click here to see what is required to file if you, or someone you know, is so inclined.
Click here for our 2015 election
