Burlington Town Election Date Still Set at April 6

The Burlington Town Election will be held on Saturday, April 6, despite an option by the state to move it so as to coincide with the special state primary.

The option to move the election was presented to the Burlington Board of Selectmen by Town Clerk Amy Warfield during the Feb. 11 selectmen meeting.

She said Secretary of State William Galvin had given municipalities the option to move town or city election to Tuesday, April 30, the date of the special state primary.

As reported on Patch, the special state election to fill John Kerry’s empty Senate seat will be held on Tuesday, June 25. With that came the plan for a special state primary to be held on Tuesday, April 30.

Warfield told the board she didn't think it would be a good idea to move Burlington's town election.

"My recommendation is to keep the town election on April 6," she said. "First there would be the confusion of moving the town election from a Saturday to a Tuesday."

Warfield also said moving the election date would negatively impact the town as the next Town Meeting is May 13. She said postponing the town election to April 30 would not give newly-elected leaders much time to prepare for Town Meeting.

She said there are potential financial savings by moving the election but added that for Burlington they would be minimal. She said the state is going to reimburse Burlington the costs of the special primary and election.

No member of the board of selectmen proposed a vote to move the election. No vote was required to keep the town election date as April 6 since that had already been approved in a previous meeting.

I have no interest in moving the election," Chairman Ralph Patuto said. "Everybody is already geared up for it. We'll stand as we are."

Burlington Patch asked Warfield in a separate interview if the two special election coming on the heels of the town election will put a strain on her department, specifically when it comes to poll workers.

"We are always looking for new poll workers," she said. "If people want to apply they can come down to the town clerk’s office."

She said the board of selectmen approves poll workers. However, if the town needs more volunteers the clerk's office can appoint them and bring them to the board at a later day to be approved retroactively.

"As clerk I can fill those positions if we need to," she said. 

Click here to visit the Burlington Town Clerk's page for information on how to become a poll worker. Click the "Be a Poll Worker!" link.

The town election will be held from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on April 6 at Burlington High School.