Westford Town Election Turnout: Nearly 20 Percent

WESTFORD, MA — By the end of the day, some 3,290 voters cast ballots in Westford's annual election on June 30. There are 16,907 registered voters in town. The turnout was about 19.5 percent, according to the Town clerk's office.

The turnout may be attributed to the contested races for School Committee and Board of Selectmen, but the upset came with a new name pushing out the Town Moderator.

Six people were running for two seats on the School Committee, but in the end those spots went to incumbent Gloria Miller who took 1,431 votes and new Valery Young with 1,295 votes.

The School Committee faced criticism when it voted against renewing Superintendent "Bill" Olsen this past school year. After much protest and the profession of one committee member to quit the committee later voted for a new, one-year contract for Olsen, who said he would retire after that.

Anita Tonakaran-Nguyen and G. Thomas Clay were elected to the Board of Selectmen each for three year terms. Andrew Spanos came in third in that race with only 1,471 votes.

Zac Cataldo and Michelee Pitoniak-Crawford both ran, uncontested for a seat on the Board of Health. And Robert Price and Lynne Clermont ran uncontested for a seat on the Library Trustees.

Angela Harkness won overwhelmingly a three year term as Town Moderator against incumbent Susan Spuhler.

Robert Shaffer took the one seat on the Planning Board, edging out Gary Lavelle by more than 300 votes.

See the official tallies here:

The annual election was postponed this year from May 5, to June 30

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