What Happens if No One Runs for Selectmen?

North Reading still awaits its first official candidate for the Board of Selectmen – and the deadline to file nomination papers is quickly approaching.

Sean Delaney, who has served on the board for six years, announced in January that he is not running for re-election because of time constraints. So far, no one has filed nomination papers yet. The deadline to return nomination papers is on Tuesday.

Town Clerk Barbara Stats said two people have requested nomination papers, but neither person has returned them with the required signatures yet.

Stats said those nomination papers may still be returned to her office and would then be certified by the Town Clerk’s Office.

The question is: What happens if no one officially files to run for selectmen?

Stats said that if no one returns papers for the position then no candidates will appear on the ballot for selectmen. Residents can still run as write-in candidates and the person with the most write-ins would win a seat on the selectmen.

There is still time to get nomination papers from the Town Clerk’s Office, get signatures and file them before Tuesday at 5 p.m., but the deadline is quickly approaching.