Write on: These people weren’t candidates and, yet, appeared on the ballot
We all know the outcome of Tuesday’s Grafton Town Election, which elected Ann Marie Foley and Andy Jefferson to the Select Board and Amy Marr and Liora Bram to School Committee.
But does Tom Brady or Tony Hawk realize they were contenders as well?
It’s a tradition that amuses voters and makes the night a bit longer for ballot counters at the polls — when no one satisfactory makes the cut, voters opt to write in their own choices. The question we have to ask — do you know if you received a vote or two?
Select Board
Both former Selectmen Ed Prisby and Peter Adams each received two votes, despite voluntarily stepping down several election cycles ago; newly not Select Board member Peter Carlson received one vote.
Also not running, yet appearing in the results: Nancy Varallo, Emily Curewitz, Grafton Police Officer Mark Benoit, Steve Stratton, and Jon Lincoln.
Curewitz received three write-ins, getting votes for Planning Board and School Committee as well. Benoit was also suggested for Library Trustee.
Lincoln’s write-ins for Select Board and Planning Board were possibly linked to a running joke on Facebook last week when he proposed a Grafton monorail, claiming Carlson had cleared it as a question on the ballot (just go with it; it was the best Simpsons episode).
School Committee (3-year seat)
For Selectmen Sargon Hanna and Brook Padgett were nominated, as well as former School Committee member Daryl Rynning and former School Committee student representative Tyler Concaugh. Moxie Smith was also a write-in.
School Committee (1-year seat)
Mariagarciela Vargas-Baker easily won the remainder of her term on the School Committee, where she has served since February, with 1,295 votes.
But there were other contenders! Former School Committee member Teri Turgeon received three votes, “Daryl Ryling” and “Daryl Roberts” each received one while Daryl Rynning received two. Stacie Bennett, already on the ballot for the three year seat, had two votes and Laurie Cormier also received two votes.
In a move that hopefully did not provoke a marital dispute, Vargas-Baker’s husband, Alan Baker, received two votes.
The single-vote gang: state Rep. David Muradian (would that help with our Chapter 70 funding?), Donald Chouinard, Dan Wright, Richard Forrest, Bob Mulvey, Ritchie Blackmore, Christopher Schonhoff, Alison Wilson, Nicholas Capman, Tony Hawk, Andrew Burton, Hunter Gordon, Chris Nichols, Beth Foley, Danielle Decker, Daniel Allain, Robert Sudol, Jackie McGrail, Mary Smith, and Carl Donadio.
Planning Board
David Robbins received 1,318 votes while Prabhu Venjataraman received 1,194 both easily winning re-election.
Write-ins included Lisa Kelley and Hailstone Brown with two votes each. Tom Brady, whose knowledge of even the existence of Grafton is unknown, received a single vote. Former Planning Board member Michael Scully, who doesn’t even live here, received a vote, along with Robert Nault, Barry Coonan, Mark Prunier, Richard Forreat, Ian Page, Ian Gillian, Brad Marchand, Steve Paillen, Larry Zwicker II, Chris Nichols, and Mary Smith.
Library Trustees
Dana Wilson won re-election with 1,347 votes and John Paul Bubriski won his first term with 1,145 votes.
Marilyn Cusher received two write-ins, followed by Jame Davidson, Roger Glover, Ian Lord, Lisa Wise, Cathryn Williams, Sean Matthews, Jen Vacca, Kricky Remilard, Danielle Decker, Chris Nicole, Roger Trahan, Karen Ceppetelli, Dan Dupuis, Cherilyn Michener Reno, and Jay Hudson.
Town Clerk
Kandy Lavallee won re-election with 1,503 votes.
Jenn Lord Paluzzi received two votes, which is so 2017. Jen Vacca also received two votes. Kevin Smith — unknown if it was a reference to a Grafton resident or the film director — and David Rice each received a single vote.
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