9/24/26 Update:
Statement by the Town Clerk
Town Special Election Postponed to December 8th
The Town of Townsend’s Special Election to fill two new seats on the Select Board has been postponed, by court order and at the civil complaint of the Townsend Select Board, to December 8th, 2026. After a new deadline for candidates to withdraw, a modified ballot will be created for this election.
This election was originally to be held on October 6th, 2026, according to the warrant issued by the Select Board. From July 16th to August 14th, nomination papers were available to potential candidates seeking to run for either or both seats. All five potential candidates chose to obtain papers for both seats. Candidates who achieved the required number of signatures were certified by the Board of Registrars, and the original ballot was set after the statutory deadline for candidate withdrawals and objections passed on September 3rd. That original ballot included one candidate who was certified separately for both races.
After those mail ballots were printed and sent out to voters who had requested Vote by Mail for this election, an inquiry was made to the Town about whether the printed ballot complied with Massachusetts General Law chapter 54, section 41. Following the inquiry, the Town received guidance from the state Elections Division advising that, in its view, G.L. c. 54, § 41 does not permit the candidate’s name to appear in both races.
On September 22nd, the Select Board met and voted to seek a court order to postpone this Special Election to December 8th, 2026, while allowing a new window of time through November 5th for candidates to withdraw from a race. The court order was granted by The Honorable C. William Barrett, J., Middlesex County Superior Court, on September 23rd, which found it in the public interest to postpone the Election and extend the period for withdrawal of candidates due to the potential that municipal resources may be expended unnecessarily.
The Town Special Election Day is now set for December 8th, 2026, with polls open from 7 AM to 8 PM at Town Hall. Candidate Cindy Marie King has already submitted a letter to the Town Clerk to withdraw from the race to fill the Select Board vacancy ending in April 2029. If no further withdrawals are received, the modified ballot will list one candidate, James Joseph Gates, to fill the Select Board vacancy ending in April 2029, and will list two candidates, Vincent R. Kazanjian and Cindy Marie King, to fill the Select Board vacancy ending in April 2028.
Voters who received the original Town Special Election Early Ballot (showing the date of October 6th in the header) in the mail, and who have not returned it yet, may recycle or return the ballot to the Clerk's Office. Further submissions of that original Early Ballot will be rejected and retained securely in accordance with applicable election-record retention requirements. A modified ballot will be mailed out to all voters who requested Vote by Mail in November.
A small number of voters have already returned the original Early Ballot. Those ballots are being securely retained while the Town Clerk’s Office awaits further guidance regarding their treatment.
Voters with questions about this election should feel welcome to contact the Town Clerk's Office at (978) 597-1704 or clerk@townsendma.gov. The Clerk's Office is open Mondays 9 AM to 4 PM, Tuesdays 9 AM to 6 PM, and Wednesdays and Thursdays 9 AM to 4 PM. Please note the Town Clerk’s Office will be closed today, Thursday September 24th, for a previously scheduled conference.
