30 March, 2020
The Select Board voted at its March 17 meeting to delay Hopkinton’s Annual Town Meeting to June 22, 2020. Additionally the board authorized the Town Manager and Town Counsel to draft proposed special legislation to delay the Town election currently scheduled for Monday, May 18, 2020 to a later date.
On March 23, the state legislature passed a bill granting authority to postpone 2020 municipal elections in the Commonwealth and increase voting options in response to the declaration of emergency to respond to COVID-19. The Governor signed this bill into law that same day. Postponed elections must occur on or before June 30, 2020. Pursuant to the authority conferred by this statute, the Select Board will take up a proposal at its next meeting on April 7 to postpone the Town elections.
“The decision to move these dates to June is a common sense public health move that we need to decrease the risk of COVID-19 exposure among voters,” said Town Clerk Connor Degan. “I urge everyone to mark their calendars with the new date for the meeting.”
An incumbent elected official whose term would have expired at a municipal annual town election if the election was not postponed shall continue to serve in the official’s position until a successor is elected and qualified.
The new municipal election statute also allows any eligible voter to vote early by mail for any annual or special municipal or state election held on or before June 30, 2020.
