A write-in candidate will fill one of two vacancies on the Norway Select Board in next week’s municipal elections.

Sarah Carter is seeking an open seat, hoping voters will write her name on the ballot for the town’s Select Board.

Dennise Dullea Whitley is also seeking a seat on the board, and whose name will appear on the ballot.

Whitley and Carter are running for the open seats created by the retirements of selectmen Warren Sessions and Michael Twitchell.

The election is Tuesday, July 14.

Whitley’s family has deep roots in Norway, going back 100 years when her grandfather moved here from Peabody, Massachusetts, to work in a shoe factory. Her father also worked in the shoe factory, retiring at age 72.

“I love my town,” Whitley, 79, said. “It’s been good to me and my family for 100 years. I thought maybe I could give back in some way.”

She and her husband co-own Lost Corner Land Surveying. Whitley, who graduated from Norway High School and the University of New Hampshire, has worked for non-profits for most of her life, including 13 years at Stephens Memorial Hospital. She volunteers with the Norway Historical Society.

Whitley has run twice for the Maine Legislature, losing a Senate race in 2012 and a house seat in 2014.

She praised the current board for their work to revitalize Main Street, an area she hopes she can contribute to in the future.

Carter, 37, has lived in Western Maine all of her life. She bought her home in Norway four years ago, where she lives with her husband and two children.

“I think so much change can happen at the local level,” Carter said. “It’s really an exciting time to think how we can make change. I feel really, really thankful to live in the town of Norway.”

Carter serves as the Let’s Go coordinator for Healthy Oxford Hills, which helps with food access and food security in the area. She volunteers at the Alan Day Community Garden and serves on the communication committee for the Norway Downtown group.

She has used Facebook and word-of-mouth to let voters know that she is a write-in candidate.

She calls Norway a progressive town in a rural area, which helps the town attract people and businesses to locate here. Her goal is help the town “stay relevant.”

“We are still thinking about how we can keep connected to our roots and our history, still moving forward and changing to meet new demands,” Carter said. “I feel lucky to live in a town that I appreciate. I want the opportunity to give back in that way.”

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