AUBURN — With two days left before the city’s November ballots are settled, four of the seven open seats on the School Committee have no confirmed candidates and one ward has no candidates expressing interest in running.
City Clerk Sue Clements-Dallaire said she’s hoping someone files papers to seek the open seats in Ward 1 before the close of business Thursday, the last day potential candidates have to complete nomination petitions.
She said there was no interest in the open School Committee seat in Ward 4 until Tuesday afternoon. Tammy L. Neilson, of 1045 Old Danville Road, is the only person circulating a nomination petition for that seat as of Tuesday.
“It looks like for the City Council seats we’ve had at least one person hand in papers, so those are all set,” she said. “But so far we are really hoping someone will take out papers for Ward 1 and Ward 4 School Committee seats.”
So far, incumbent Tom Kendall completed the paperwork to qualify on the ballot for the School Committee seat in Ward 3. No other candidates are collecting signatures for that seat, Clements-Dallaire said.
In the race for the two open at-large seats, two candidates have completed their paperwork: incumbent Brent M. Bilodeau and former member Larry Pelletier.
No other would-be School Committee candidates have completed their paperwork. So far, three candidates are circulating nomination petitions for the Ward 2 seat and one is for the Ward 5 seat.
Clements-Dallaire said she’s most concerned about Wards 1 and 4 because nobody is collecting signatures for those seats. Bob Mennealy had taken out nomination papers for the Ward 1 school seat but chose to submit a nomination petition for an open City Council at-large seat.
In the City Council races, the at-large and mayoral race look to be the only ones with competition.
Mennealy joins City Council newcomer Grady Burns and incumbents Belinda Gerry and David Young in the race for the two open at-large seats.
Mayor Jonathan LaBonte and challenger Peter Letourneau have confirmed their spots on the ballot as well.
The remaining City Council seats, Wards 1 through 5, all have one candidate seeking those seats: Ward 1, Matt Leonard; Ward 2, Bob Stone; Ward 3, Andy Titus; Ward 4, Ernestine Gilbert; and Ward 5 incumbent Leroy Walker.
Candidates for all city offices have until 4:30 p.m. Thursday to complete the nomination petitions and return them to the city clerk’s office in Auburn Hall.
Auburn Ballot November 2015
Confirmed candidates as Aug. 18
City Council
Ward 1: Matthew Leonard
Ward 2: Bob Stone
Ward 3: Andrew D. Titus
Ward 4: Ernestine M. Gilbert
Ward 5: Leroy Walker
At large:
Belinda Gerry
David C. Young
Grady R. Burns
Robert C. Mennealy
Mayor
Jonathan LaBonte
Peter Letourneau
School Committee
Ward 3: Thomas M. Kendall
At Large:
Brent M. Bilodeau
Lawrence B. Pelletier
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