[Amended 4-24-1972 ATM, approved 1973 Annual Town Election;
Laws 1998, c. 445; approved 1999 Annual Town Election]
Regular Town elections for the elective offices
specified in this Charter and for other elective offices as required
by the General Laws shall be held twenty-seven days before the Annual
Town Meeting. The polls shall not close before 8:00 p.m.
[Amended 9-30-2009 STM, Art. 10, approved 2010 Annual Town Election]
Except for the election of Town Meeting Representatives,
in the event that there are more than three candidates for each office
to be filled, a preliminary election will be held forty-nine days
before the regular Town elections. The two candidates receiving the
greatest number of votes will be eligible to run for that office and
will be placed on the ballot for Town officers at the regular election.
No preliminary election will be required for Town Meeting Representatives.
[Amended 1-17-1977 STM, approved 1977 Annual Town Election]
A polling place shall be made available in each
of the precincts for all elections.
[Amended 4-30-1979 ATM, approved 1980 Annual Town Election; 5-24-2010 ATM, Art.
61, approved 2011 Annual Town Election]
Nomination papers for elected Town offices other
than Town Meeting Representatives must be filed with the Board of
Registrars forty-nine days prior to the date of the preliminary Town
election and with the Town Clerk thirty-five days prior to the date
of the preliminary Town election and shall be signed by not less than
one hundred registered voters of the Town, increased by one-fifth
thereof. Nomination papers for the office of Town Meeting Representative
must be filed with the Board of Registrars forty-nine days prior to
the Annual Town election and with the Town Clerk thirty-five days
prior to the annual Town election. Incumbents seeking re-election
may designate only the word "re-election" on their nomination papers
and on the ballot.
[Amended Laws 1984, c. 267, approved 1985 Annual Town Election;
amended [Amended 1-17-1977 STM, approved 1977 Annual Town Election; 12-2-2019 STM, Art. 18, approved 2020 Annual Town Election]]
The names of candidates for town office shall
be placed in numerical sequence based upon a random number drawn by
the candidate or their representative at the time of filing nomination
papers. This number shall be affixed to the nomination papers of the
candidate in their presence or in the presence of their representative
by the town clerk. Candidates for the final election that have been
nominated in a preliminary election shall draw for their ballot position
on the day following the preliminary election. In the event the candidate
or their representative cannot be present for this drawing of ballot
position, the town clerk shall draw for the candidate.
[Amended 4-28-1980 ATM, approved 1981 Annual Town Election]
Except as indicated in this Charter, no elected
or appointed official may hold more than one Town office recognized
and established by this Charter. Elected or appointed Town officials
shall be defined as follows:
A.
Elected officials: one elected by ballot to a Town
office established by this Charter, or to a Town board, Town authority,
or Town commission established by the General Laws.
B.
Appointed official: one appointed by an elected official,
elected board, or appointed by the Town Manager to an appointed Town
office specifically established by this Charter, or to a Town board,
Town authority, or Town commission established by the General Laws.
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Charter Commissioners may be elected or appointed
from any of the registered voters of the Town, whether they are candidates
for another Town office or an incumbent elected or appointed official.
A Charter Commission shall mean a commission established by state
statute or referendum organized for the purpose of revising or creating
a Charter for the Town of Stoughton.
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Federal, state, county, or regional elected
or appointed officials shall not be considered as disqualified to
be elected or appointed to any Town office established by this Charter.
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[Amended 4-28-1980 ATM, approved 1981 Annual Town Election]
No person may be a candidate for more than one Town government office at each election, except as a candidate for a Charter Commission, as defined in § C8-6.
[Amended 4-30-1979 ATM, approved 1980 Annual Town Election;
5-7-2007 ATM, Art. 59, approved 2008 Annual Town Election]
Nomination of candidates for town meeting representatives
shall be from among the registered voters of the precinct. Nomination
papers shall bear no political designation, and shall be signed by
not less than fifteen qualified registered voters of the precinct
in which the candidate resides to have the candidate's name to be
placed on the ballot. No nomination papers will be valid in respect
to any candidate to which this section applies, unless written acceptance
is endorsed thereon or attached thereto. No person shall be elected
to the office of town meeting representative by write-in votes, unless
having received a minimum of twelve votes; and has signed, and returned
within three days of issuance, an acceptance of notification of election
issued by the Town Clerk or by the Board of Registrars of Voters.
Elected Town officials shall take office two
days after the regular Town election.
