Politics & Government

Still Just One Candidate for Newton Ward 1 Special Election

Alderman-at-large candidates must return nomination papers with at least 150 signatures, per the city charter.

With just one week left to return signatures, just person has pulled nomination papers for the Ward 1 alderman-at-large special election on June 25.

As of Monday afternoon, April 29, the Newton Election Commission confirmed Alderman Scott Lennon was the only candidate to pull papers so far.

The deadline to return the nomination papers with the required 150 voter signatures is next Tuesday, May 7. 

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Lennon is currently the Ward 1 alderman and president of the Board of Aldermen. He announced in February his candidacy for the alderman-at-large seat.

The Ward 1 special election is being held to fill the alderman-at-large seat left vacant following the death of Alderman Carleton Merrill. The special election will piggyback on the state's special Senate election, which will be held on the same date.

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Earlier this year, Newton aldermen spent several meetings debating whether to hold the special election, with some aldermen arguing that the city would be spending money on an election where it was likely only one candidate would run. 

Election officials have estimated the Ward 1 special election, a citywide election, will cost the city $30,000-$35,000. 

Several aldermen, however, argued in favor of the election, stating that the Board must follow the rules in the city charter.

The city's charter specifies that a special election must be held to fill a Board of Aldermen seat if the vacancy occurs within the first 15 months of the term [Sec. 2-5 (a)]. Because the charter states a special election should be held, the Board of Aldermen would have to petition the state legislature for home rule legislation to allow the city to skip the special election.

In the end, the Board voted in March to approve the Ward 1 special election. 


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