Town Election 2023 – Saugus political season begins officially next week

By Mark E. Vogler

Residents interested in running for public office in the Nov. 7 Town Elections can obtain nomination papers on Monday (July 24) from the Town Clerk’s Office. This marks the official start of the political season in Saugus. The fall elections feature five seats apiece on the Board of Selectmen and School Committee and 50 seats – 5 for each of the 10 precincts – on the Annual Town Meeting.

Candidates for the respective offices have until 5 p.m. on Sept. 19 to submit nomination papers to the Town Clerk’s Office for certification of signatures. Fifty certified signatures of registered voters are required for the Board of Selectmen, School Committee and the Housing Authority. Only 10 certified signatures of registered voters are required for Town Meeting, but each of the signatures must be from registered voters in the candidate’s precinct. Sept. 15 is the final day to obtain nomination papers – just four days before the filing deadline.

There are responsibilities for filing documents related to candidacy for town office. Office of Campaign Finance reports are due on Oct. 30 – eight days before the election. Final campaign reports are due on Dec. 7 – 30 days following the election. All candidates are expected to comply with the Town of Saugus Zoning Bylaws (Article 7, Section 7.3, Sub-Section 8) related to political signs.

Half of the Town Meeting members were elected two years ago without opposition. Only five candidates ran for the five seats in Saugus precincts 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7.

The Town Clerk’s Office maintains a list of potential candidates who pull nomination papers. But the candidates are not official candidates until they have filed their nomination paper and the signatures have been certified by the Board of Registrars.

The last day to register to vote in the Town Elections is Oct. 28, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.