Guidelines for Mounting a Write-In or Sticker Campaign to Run for Local Office

Although the deadline for submitting nomination papers to the Town clerk’s office has passed, it is not too late to run for an elected town office in the May 3rd town election. All registered voters have a right to run for office as a write-in or sticker candidate, without the need to gather the required 50 signatures on nomination papers. Massachusetts General Law, (Chap 41, Sec 1), states that to run for a town office, you must be a registered voter of that town, whether you pull nomination papers or declare yourself a write-in candidate. Candidates who pull nominating nomination papers, but are unable to gather 50 signatures in the specified amount of time, can still run for office as a write-in candidate. The only difference is, that without nomination papers, your name will not appear in print on the ballot.

Mounting an effective write-in campaign consists of two steps. First, notify the Town Clerk’s office at 978-692-5515. The Town Clerk will provide you with information about campaign finance laws and will also be able to alert precinct wardens so that your write-in or sticker vote can be properly counted on Election Day. The second step is to inform the public of your intent to run for office. Send a press release to the Westford Eagle newspaper declaring yourself a candidate and for what office.

The primary activity of all campaigns is to inform the public of your candidacy and your positions.  The League of Women Voters of Westford is sponsoring its annual Candidates’ Night on Monday, April 25 at 7:00 p.m. at the JV Fletcher Library. The League will also be publishing a Voters Guide in the Westford Eagle in mid April. All those who have filed nomination papers will automatically be invited to participate in both. Write-in candidates may participate by following the guidelines listed on our web site at www.westford.com/lwv.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization of women and men that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government.

Participating in League-sponsored Election Activities for Write-In Candidates

The League has established guidelines for write-in candidates to participate in Candidates Night and the Voters Guide. Anyone running as a write-in candidate can request to be included in Candidates Night and the Voter Guide if a published press release announcing their candidacy is in the Westford Eagle. They also must send a written request to be included in the League-sponsored election activities to the League of Women Voters of Westford, Election 2011 Committee, P. O. Box 59, Westford or via email to Pamela.Holland@gmail.com.  The deadline for requesting to participate in the Voters Guide is Wednesday, March 30. The deadline for requesting to participate in Candidates’ Night is Monday, April 4. All candidates have until Election Day, May 3, to run for office this year.