June 17, 2020 by Carol Britton Meyer
During this very different election season, there's still time to submit your absentee or early voting ballot for the Saturday, June 27, town election. The date was changed from Saturday, May 2, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of June 11, 323 voters had submitted absentee or early voter ballots.
The election features two races -- for school committee and selectmen. William Ramsey and Kirk Shilts are candidates for the selectman seat currently occupied by Karen Johnson, who is not seeking reelection.
There's also a three-way race for two school committee seats among incumbent Michelle Ayer, Stephanie Gertz, and Jennifer Benham. Edward Schreier is not running for another term.
Rita Da Silva is running unopposed for Ramsey's planning board seat, which expires this year.
In-person voting will be allowed on the day of the town election for those voters -- wearing face masks and with social distancing in place -- who don't wish to submit either of the above ballots. (See below for details.)
Town Clerk Eileen McCracken is predicting a voter turnout (including early voting and absentee ballot submissions) of between 15 to 20 percent, typical of most town elections. "The percentage might be slightly higher because more people have asked for absentee ballots for this election than sometimes vote at a town election," she said.
As for expected turnout at the actual polls on June 27, McCracken said that would be hard to predict. "We have had many different people beyond the residents who usually request absentee ballots, asking for one for this election," she said.
The following incumbents are running unopposed: Town Moderator Michael Puzo, board of assessors member Greg Hall, Elizabeth Eldredge of the board of health, Hingham Municipal Light Board member John Ryan, Sewer Commissioner Stephen Harold, Housing Authority member Megan Buhr, and Recreation Commissioner Adrienne Ramsey.
Contact the Town Clerk’s office at TownClerk@hingham-ma.gov or 781-741-1410 with questions. Go to https://hinghamanchor.com/absentee-and-early-voting-ballots-available-by-mail/#more-12214 for election information. You can view a speciman ballot at: https://www.hingham-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9897/2020-Town-Election-Ballot
Absentee and early voting involves a long process for the Town Clerk's office. "There are a lot of steps to it, and then on election day there are a couple more," McCracken said. "I am very interested to see how many will vote on the action day. If not many people vote in-person at their polling place, I'm sure we will be busy processing absentee ballots."
Residents who plan to submit an early voting or absentee ballot must return it to the Town Clerk by June 27, the day of the election.
At McCracken's request, the selectmen recently voted to move sub-precinct 5A from Linden Ponds, 201 Linden Ponds Way (Willard Square) to the Middle School, 1103 Main St. -- where Precinct 5 and 6 now reside -- for the June 27 town election only, in part at the request of a Linden Ponds resident. Precinct 5A was originally part of Precinct 5.
For those who choose to vote in-person, here's where to go:
Precincts 1-4 - Hingham High School, 17 Union St.
Precincts 5, 5A (Linden Ponds), 6 - Hingham Middle School, 1103 Main St.
The polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The state primary is Tuesday, Sept. 1. The Presidential election is Tuesday, Nov. 3.