Candidates throwing hats in the ring for local election

Editor’s note: This article was updated on February 25.

By Alice Waugh

Eighteen Lincoln residents have officially expressed interest in running for town office in the March 31 election, but there are still three panels that have seats up for election but no candidates.

Residents have until Thursday, Feb. 6 to request nomination papers from the Town Clerk’s office. They must return those papers with at least 29 signatures of registered town voters by February 10. The Town Clerk then certifies the signatures to clear the candidate to appear on the ballot. Candidates can withdraw until February 26.

Many of the seats up for election are thus far uncontested (meaning only one candidate has taken out nomination papers for one available seat). However, the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board are looking like they’ll have both incumbents and challengers.

Peter Braun, chair of the Board of Selectmen, is running for reelection, but Vincent Cannistraro has taken out nomination papers for the same seat, though he has not yet returned signatures to the Town Clerk. On the Planning Board, Diana Abrashkin and Gary Taylor have taken out papers to run for the two seats currently held by Lynn DeLisi and Richard Rundell, both of whom were appointed to fill vacancies and are running as well. Both DeLisi and Rundell have been certified to appear on the ballot; Abrashkin and Taylor have not yet returned signatures.

Thus far, no one has requested papers for the Housing Commission (one three-year position), the Parks and Recreation Committee (one three-year position), and the Bemis Fund Board of Trustees (two three-year positions). If no candidates emerge, the Board of Selectmen will meet with board in question and appoint members to fill the vacancies.

Here’s a list of who’s running for office (or thinking of doing so) as of Friday, Jan. 24:

* Traditionally, one seat will be filled by a Lincoln resident and the other by a Sudbury resident.