AMESBURY ¬— It would appear that members of Amesbury's executive branch are happy in their work, since the mayor and all but two municipal councilors have pulled papers to run for re-election in November.
Town Clerk Bonnijo Kitchin said Mayor Thatcher Kezer III is the only candidate to pull papers for his mayoral seat. Incumbents Anne Furguson and Allen Neale have taken out paperwork to run for the three available at-large seats. Incumbents Robert Gilday (District 1, Mary Chatigny (District 2), Stephen Dunford (District 3), Robert Lavoie (District 4) and Jonathan Sherwood (District 6) have pulled papers to run for re-election as well.
Kitchin said District 5 Councilor Joseph McMilleon has not pulled papers, perhaps due to the fact he's been away on vacation for the past three weeks.
"I haven't heard anything as to what he's doing," Kitchin said.
Kitchin said no one has yet stepped forward to run for the at-large seat of retiring Chairman Roger Benson, who announced several months ago his intention to relocate to Louisiana at the close of his current term. Benson is the longest-serving council member, having first won election 10 years ago.
"I have always wanted to move to the Baton Rouge area, but serving the council has kept me here," Benson told The Daily News in January. "There was unfinished business, but I feel I have wrapped everything up and have accomplished what I needed to accomplish."
Three of the seven current School Committee members are also up for re-election, including Paula Blair, Gail Hanshaw and Tom McGee. According to Kitchin, McGee is the only incumbent to pull papers so far. Former Municipal Councilor Ann Connolly King of 25 Belmont St. has also pulled papers for a seat on the committee.
Kitchin said it's early in the process, and there's still plenty of time for those sitting on the sidelines to throw their hat in the ring for public office. The deadline for pulling papers is July 24, and the deadline for returning papers is July 28.
On the ballot this fall will be the election of mayor, nine municipal councilors, three School Committee members, four Planning Board members, five library trustees and two Housing Authority members. No one has pulled papers to serve on the Planning Board, as library trustee or on the Housing Authority.
"It's still early," said Kitchin, who added in the coming weeks it will become clear whether a Sept. 15 preliminary election will be required. A preliminary election is triggered if there are more than two candidates, or double plus one, vying for the same seat.
"If three people run for mayor, then we will have a preliminary election in September," Kitchin said. "For councilor at-large we would need seven people to run for those seats for there to be a preliminary ballot. I don't think we've ever not had a preliminary."
Kitchin stressed that anyone interested in volunteering their time to help at the polls this year should contact the clerk's office. After several longtime volunteers stepped down, Kitchin needs help for many volunteer positions.
"We're looking for poll workers," said Kitchin, who said she's seeking a range of volunteers from tabulators to end-of-the-evening closers.
"There are applications online, or they can pick them up in our office," she said.
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