Adams Selectmen Vote No Special Election for Vacant Seat
ADAMS, Mass. — The vacant selectman seat will remain open until the next annual election, unless voters petition for a special town election.
Just days following the town's annual election, which resulted in Kelly Rice defeating incumbent Christine Hoyt, longtime Selectman John Duval abruptly resigned two years into his three-year term.
During Wednesday's Selectmen meeting, the board decided to hold off on filling the fifth seat until next year, favoring conserving costs.
With this decision, the seat will appear as a three-year term on the 2027 annual town election ballot, as part of the regular election cycle for the Board of Selectmen.
Based on the figures from the special election the town had for the McCann Technical School project, the estimated to cost was between $5,800 to $6,000, or more depending on various factors including timing and postage, Town Clerk Haley Meczywor said.
"I am currently by myself in the office. I am very fortunate to have staff within Town Hall that have been very, very kind to me and do step up to the plate to help when they can," she said.
"And if needed, if it's the board's wishes to run a special election, my office will step up to the plate and certainly get it done."
Town Administrator Nicholas Caccamo presented the board with three options under state law for addressing the vacancy:
- taking no action;
- calling a special election on its own initiative, provided the town clerk is notified at least 64 days before the election; or
- being required to call a special election if 200 registered voters submit a petition no later than 100 days before the 2027 annual town election.
The clerk's office has a busy year before it with a state primary election on Sept. 1 and state election on Nov. 3.
State law does not permit a local vacant seat to appear on a primary election ballot, and while it is unclear whether it could be placed on the state ballot, doing so would require coordination with the state, Meczywor said.
The town is just finishing up budget season and is looking for ways to save money, new Chair Jay Meczywor said.
It's a tough situation, he said, highlighting how having four members does open the board up to a deadlock.
"I've never really seen it all the years I've been here, where there would be a tie vote, and a tie vote is a no. So, I'm for saving the money," Meczywor said.
Typically, when there is only a year left for a term, other towns do not call for a special election because of the cost, he said.
"I think we should start saving where we can save. I think that we're all competent enough to handle this for the four of us," Rice said.
If voters decide they do want to hold a special election, then they have a right to call for one by getting 200 signatures from registered voters, Meczywor said.
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