WATERVILLE — The four people who turned out Tuesday night for the Waterville Republican Committee caucus could not choose candidates to run in the Nov. 8 general election because the committee did not meet the deadline for placing a notice in the newspaper to let voters know the caucus was to occur.
City Clerk Patti Dubois explained to the attendees, including new Republican Chairperson Laurie Trefethen, that such an advertisement needed to be published in the newspaper by last Saturday. The city charter, or bylaws, requires the notice be publicized not more than seven or less than three days before a caucus, she said.
The deadline to caucus for the general election was Wednesday, Aug. 10, she said.
However, those wanting to run without party affiliation may do so by submitting a sufficient number of signatures to Dubois’ office by Sept. 9, she said. Their names would appear on the Nov. 8 ballot, but they would not have an “R” for Republican next to their names, she said.
The open municipal seats are for City Council, Ward 1, for a two-year term; City Council and Board of Education in Wards 3 and 5, for three-year terms; and Ward 5 City Council, for a two-month term, to fill the unexpired term of Rick Foss, who resigned because he planned to move to Winslow. Two Kennebec Water District trustee seats also are open, for three-year terms.
The election for Wards 1 and 5 council seats are considered special elections because the seats were vacated by councilors who resigned. Candidates elected for those seats in November would take the seats immediately, while those winning the general election would take office in January. The person running for the two-month Ward 5 council term and the three-year council term could be the same person, but does not have to be, according to Dubois.
She told Republicans on Tuesday they still have time to hold a caucus to nominate candidates for the two seats in the special elections, but the deadline to caucus is 50 days before the election, or Sept. 19. Candidates in the special election would have an “R” next to their names, she said.
Candidates interested in the two-month Ward 5 term will be able to caucus, but those running in the general election would have to collect signatures.
The Waterville Democratic Committee held its caucus Monday night and chose candidates for all available seats.
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