Elections Go Off Without a Hitch in Adams, Cheshire
Mike Kruszyna, seen with his wife, Karen, at the polls Monday, unseated incumbent Jeffrey Warner for a three-year term on the Cheshire Board of Health.
The towns typically hold local elections on the first Monday in May but the social distancing guidelines implemented by Gov. Charlie Baker nearly 80 days ago forced them to draw up new plans. The towns are obligated to hold elections on the same day because of their shared school district.
Voter turnout was down in both towns, which could be attributed to the virus or to the lack of uncontested offices.
Cheshire had just two, the Board of Health, where challenger Mike Kruszyna unseated incumbent Jeffrey Warner for a three-year term (275-141), and a write-in campaign by Colin Haas that fell just short (195-173) for the Water Commissioner spot held by Mickey Biagini. There were 420 votes cast in total.
Adams had only one contested race, for library trustee, which saw incumbent Brian Bishop re-elected and also Linda Rhoads voted in for a three-year term.
The towns shared a contested race for School Committee as incumbent Regina Hill bested challenger Erin Milne in Cheshire (213-140) and in Adams (317-163).
Both selectmen races in each town were unopposed as Jason Levesque of Cheshire and Christine Hoyt of Adams have gained another three-year term.
Levesque said in an email that he is "Thankful the residents of Cheshire decided to allow me to continue to serve them and we will press on in bringing to light all that Cheshire has to offer."
Cheshire Town Clerk Christine Emerson said it was business as usual at the Community Center other than a few minor changes because of the virus. Election workers wore masks and were behind plastic partitions, voters exited through a side door instead of back through the main entrance, and the booth configuration changed to adhere to social-distancing guidelines. When asked if the process was working smoothly she provided only positives.
"So far yeah. The numbers are below my expectations but you never know. It always surprises me, we have a dead afternoon but then it will pick up," she said. "We've done everything that we can possibly do to make it voter-friendly, given the circumstances. We've got signage, footprints on the floor showing where to go. So far no complaints."
Emerson hopes the experience voters got Monday will alleviate any problems they might have in the upcoming primaries in September and general election in November. Both of which are expected to draw a heavier than usual turnout.
"The voters that are coming today are going to be very aware that the polls have changed. We don't go in and go out the same door. We are coming in the front and going out the back. The booths are set up differently. If they didn't vote today we will keep trying to inform them on what to expect."
In Adams, at the polling station in the Department of Public Works garage on North Summer Street, volunteers also were behind plastic panels and masked. Pens were quickly disinfected after each use and each booth was wiped down after use. Just like the scene in Cheshire.
Also like its neighbor to the South, turnout was trending lower than usual.
Town Clerk Haley Meczywor registered no problems with the voting process as of mid-afternoon.
"So far everybody that has voted has put their mask on. Everybody has been very respectful and we're happy about that. Everything has been going as expected. I figure we'll do about 500 [voters] if I had to guess," she said.
Meczywor is also hoping the smaller town election will be good practice for both her staff and the voters before the national elections this fall.
"This is a definite good warmup. I like hearing from my workers, too. If there's anything different we can do. I think September will be OK but it's going to be our November elections that will be trickier. We might have to look at some different in-and-out options. But maybe things will be different [by then]."
Both Meczywor and Emerson reported a huge increase in absentee and early voting this year. Out of roughly 900 ballots cast between the two towns about one third were submitted by mail.
Unofficials results Cheshire:
- Hoosac Valley School Committee: Cheshire representative, Adam Emerson, 373; Adams representative, Regina Hill, 213, and Erin Milne, 140
- Selectman: Jason Levesque, 370
- Assessor: Barbara Astorino, 350
- Board of Health: three-year term, Michael Kruszyna, 275, and Jeffrey Warner, 141; one-year term, Brian Trudeau, 328
- Water Commission: Mickey Biagini, 195
- Cemetery Commission: Stephen LaFogg, 310
- Planning Board: 51 write-in votes, no winner determined yet
Unofficial results Adams:
- Hoosac Valley School Committee: Cheshire representative, Adam Emerson, 405; Adams representative, Regina Hill, 317, and Erin Milne, 163
- Moderator: Myra Wilk, 442
- Selectman: Christine Hoyt, 434
- Assessor George Haddad, 432
- Board of Health: three-year term, David Rhoads, 393; one-year term, Laura Grandchamp, 413
- Library trustee (two seats); Brian Bishop, 368, Linda Rhoads, 274, and Robert Harris, 179
- Parks Commission: Jacob Schutz, 434
- Planning Board: David Krzeminski, 411
- Cemetery Commission: Frederick Hobart, 402
- McCann School Committee: three-year term, Daniel Maloney, 424; one-year, Bruce Shepley, 425
Tags: election 2020,
