PARIS — It’s like Groundhog Day for Paris selectman candidates Mike Risica and Zac Creps, who can now begin campaigning for the run-off election set for later next month.

At their meeting Monday night, Paris selectmen set the date for a new election on Thursday, July 23, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fire Station at 137 Western Ave. The run-off race for the three-year selectman seat must be held because of a 163-163 vote between the two candidates on election day, June 9.

Absentee ballots were printed off and are now available at the Town Office at 33 Market Square. Interim Town Manager Michael Madden told selectmen that absentee ballots must be available 30 days prior to the election under state statute. The second election must be held 40 days from the original one.

Selectmen discussed the length of the election and location Monday night.

“No, we don’t have to have it all day. Our busiest time period was from 3 to 7. My recommendation would be from noon to 8 (p.m.),” Town Clerk Elizabeth Knox told the board. “You have to have at least four consecutive hours, according to state statute.”

Newly elected Selectman Vic Hodgkins weighed the pros and cons of holding an abbreviated election.

“For me, this is a little tough because on one hand, I don’t want to disenfranchise voters. … I, the money guy, would be in favor of doing it for fewer hours to save a couple of bucks,” he said, noting some people might not be able to vote if the polls aren’t open for the full 12 hours.

“How can you disenfranchise voters, Vic? You’re allowing them to do absentee voting for the same amount of time, and I just told you our busiest period was from 3 to 7 (p.m.),” Knox said.

“I don’t care about that. If two people came in those other hours, I don’t want to disenfranchise them,” Hodgkins said.

Selectman Janet Jamison asked if the election could be held at the meeting room at the Town Office and for the entire 12 hours. Knox told her the room would have to be cleared and at least six voting booths set up.

Hodgkins said he didn’t have a problem with moving the polling site to the Town Office, but noted people are creatures of habit and are used to coming to the Fire Station to vote. After a little more discussion, selectmen decided to keep the election at the Fire Station.

Knox said on Tuesday that Risica and Creps do not have to collect nomination signatures again for the election. Selectmen will sign the warrant for the election at their next meeting on Monday, July 13.

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