Poch Running for L-S, Roopenian for Planning Board

As the 5 p.m. Thursday deadline to run in the Annual Town Election nears, two more people have filed an intention to run: Eric Poch for Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School Committee and Kirsten Roopenian for Planning Board. People can still file a last-minute intention to run for any position on the ballot until 5 p.m. Thursday.

Poch is a member of the Finance Committee and has previously served as chair of that committee. He has also served as vice chair of the Planning Board.

Roopenian is vice chair of the Community Preservation Committee and has previously served as chair of the Select Board.

The wintry weather has closed the schools, but town offices are currently open. Town Clerk Beth Klein noted that the deadline to pull papers cannot be extended, so those wishing to file an intention to run must do so by 5 p.m. Thursday. L-S District Clerk Casey Friend added that, because Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School is closed Thursday, people wishing to pull papers may do so at the Town Clerk’s office. If town offices should close, Klein said that those wishing to pull papers before the deadline should reach out to her via email at clerk@sudbury.ma.us. People can call ahead to ensure that the office remains open.

Katina Fontes returned her nomination papers Thursday. The Town Clerk’s office has not yet certified the signatures. Fontes is running for re-election as a Goodnow Library Trustee.

The ballot for the March 31 Annual Town Election is still not set until the deadline to return papers, 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10. Prospective candidates who file an intention to run and then change their mind can, but are not required to, notify the Town Clerk or L-S District Clerk of their decision. Any of the prospective candidates who have not yet returned their nomination papers can simply not return their papers by the deadline, effectively exiting the race.

To appear on the ballot, prospective candidates must file an intention to run, gather the signatures of at least 50 registered Sudbury voters on a set of nomination papers, return those signatures by the deadline, and the Town Clerk’s office must certify those signatures.

There are 14 open positions on this year’s Annual Town Election ballot. Any Sudbury registered voter may run for office. Prospective candidates do not need permission from a board or committee to run.

You can find a complete list of open positions here. You can find information about how to run for office here, and resources to support a run for office here.

According to the Town Clerk’s office, as of 12:10 p.m. Feb. 6, the following people have filed an intention to run. An asterisk (*) indicates an official candidate whose name will appear on the ballot.

Select Board – contested race

(2 seats, 3 years)

Radha Gargeya*

Lisa Kouchakdjian*

Kevin Matthews*

Board of Assessors

(1 seat, 3 years)

Trevor Haydon

Goodnow Library Trustees

(2 seats, 3 years)

Jill Caseria*

Katina Fontes

Board of Health

(1 seat, 3 years)

Carol Bradford*

Park and Recreation Commission

(2 seats, 3 years)

William Granger Atkeson*

Mara Huston*

Planning Board

(2 seats, 3 years)

Anuraj Shah*

Kirsten Roopenian

Sudbury School Committee

(1 seat, 3 years)

Jessica McCready*

Sudbury School Committee

(1 seat, 2 years)

Allison Vanderels*

Elizabeth Sues

Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School Committee

(2 seats, 3 years)

Lee Hannauer Gross

Valerie Friedholm

John Ryan, Jr.*

Eric Poch