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Neal Collects Triple Amount Of Needed Nomination Signatures
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Neal is running against Andrea Nuciforo and Bill Shein for the seat. Neal collected 7,340 signatures — well above the required 2,000 — from all over the newly drawn district. According to a release from Neal's campaign, 5,906 of those were certified by the Secretary of State's office.
The signatures came from all across the district with 17 percent from Berkshire County.
"I campaign the same way I have always governed; every region has an equal voice," Neal said in a statement. "Whether you live in the smallest town or the largest city our grassroots operation is the same. We are spreading our positive Democratic message about my voting record by talking to our friends and family, knocking on the doors of our neighbors, and speaking to our communities members at the ball fields and in the coffee shops."
The Berkshire's current Rep. John Olver, D-Amherst, is retiring and redrawn district merges Neal's current district with the Berkshires. The newly drawn district covers parts of Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester counties and the Berkshires.
Sheldon Retains Selectmen Seat in Williamstown Election
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 Photos Courtesy of Stephen DravisTop: Justin Adkins campaigning for votes outside of the Elementary School. Left: Incumbent Thomas Sheldon gesturing to someone entering the school on Tuesday morning. Bottom: Theodore Anagnos, who lost his bid for Elementary School Committee, receives his ballot from Claire Boyer. |
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Sheldon reeled in 387 votes to Adkins' 136.
In the other contested race, Christopher Jones and Richard Scullen III earned seats on the Elementary School Committee.
Theodore Anagnos received 186 votes; Darryl Lee Brown received 115; Jones received 230 and Scullen received 325.
Elementary School Committee incumbents Jennifer Trainer Thompson and Adam Filson did not run for re-election.
About 13 percent of registered voters - 538 of 3,995 - came out to the polls.
In uncontested races, M. Geoffrey Hedden received 424 votes for Library Trustee.
Chris Winters returns to the Planning Board with 419 votes.
Thomas Mahar reeled in 463 votes for the Northern Berkshire Vocational Regional School Committee.
David Mangun, 415 votes, and Joan Burns, 363 votes, won seats on the Housing Authority.
Lenox Decides Selectmen, School Committee Races
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In a five-way race for two three-year seats on the Board of Selectmen, Edward Lane (760) and Channing Gibson (562) bested David W. Berkel (332), Jedd L. Hall (195) and Carolyn L. Barry (134). There was one write-in.
Frances E. Sorrentino (829) and Jennifer S. Reinholt (530) won the two three-year seats on the School Committee over Jo Anne H. Magee (450) and Nora O'Brien (268); and Kathleen McNulty-Vaughan easily won the three-year seat on the Planning Board, polling 734 votes to Mark D. Woodward's 170.
Winning uncontested races were Hugh C. Cowhig, moderator, 787 votes; Marie V. Feder, Board of Health, 748; Scott M. Pignatelli, assessor, 859; and Marjorie J. Pero, one year of an unexpired term on the Housing Authority, 844.
Harrington; Duval Win Selectmen Seats In Adams
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 Top: Longtime School Committee member John Duval was the second highest voter getting in Monday's election and will join the Board of Selectmen.Right and Bottom: Arthur "Skip" Harrington was re-elected for the board. |
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Duval edged out former Selectmen Edward Driscoll by only 61 votes while Harrington ran away with re-election by winning every precinct.
The final totals were Harrington with 851; Duval with 565; Driscoll with 504; Richard Blanchard with 470 and Jeremy Halek with 341. A total of 1,470 of the 5,826 registered voters — about 25 percent — made it to the polls.
The five candidates were vying for two three-year seats. Selectman Jason Hnatonko did not run for re-election.
For Duval, he is looking forward to the change from his last 17 years on the Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee.
"I look forward to working with the board," Duval said. "I'm just humbled for the support I've received."
The election did not come without worry as he led Driscoll by only 44 votes after four of the five precincts were reported. Harrington, who campaigned heavily on what he believes are successes of the last three years, said he was confident that he would be re-elected.
"I am a little disappointed there wasn't more of a turnout," Harrington said. "I think John [Duval] is a good addition to the board and I am glad to be back for another three years."
The only other contested race was for moderator and Joseph R. Dean Jr. won re-election over Ryan Biros by a margin of 937-477.
The uncontested races were: Haley Meczywor for town clerk; Donna MacDonald for assessor; Patricia Clairmont for Board of Health; James Loughman and Eugene Michalenko for library trustees, James Fassell for Parks Commission; Sandra Moderski for Planning Board; Aaron Dean for the Northern Berkshire Vocational School District and Stephen Vigna for the Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee.
Berkshire Congressional Candidates Wrap Up Signature Push
  Bill Shein of Alford, above, said he's closing in on the number of signatures. Andrea F. Nuciforo Jr., left, was the first candidate to submit signatures for the primary. Both are hoping to retire U.S. Rep. Richard Neal..jpg) |
The former state senator from Pittsfield turned in his signatures to the secretary of the commonwealth's Springfield office Thursday.
In total, 2,249 signatures collected by his campaign were submitted. His campaign celebrated by launching a fundraising appeal later in the day asking for donations of $22.49.
"Being the first candidate to complete this monumental task is a clear sign of the strength of our organization and message," Nuciforo said at a press conference at the Springfield office. "Voters across central and Western Massachusetts have told me time, and time again that after 24 years, they're ready to send a strong Democrat to Washington that will stand up for woman's right to choose, and stand up against the Wall Street deregulation ushered on by Rep. [Richard] Neal."
"This is the first time Rep. Neal has had a meaningful primary challenge, so thanks to the dozens of volunteers, interns, family and friends that were out pounding the pavement and knocking on doors to secure my name on the Sept. 6 primary ballot, we're one step closer toward being represented by a real progressive."
Bill Shein's campaign is in the final stages of signature collecting, the Alford resident said at an appearance at a May Day rally held in Pittsfield on Tuesday. He described the campaign as "going quite well."
"I'm running against a couple of candidates, one of whom has an awful lot of money," Shein told supporters at the Park Square rally. Shein pointed out that a cornerstone of his platform has been the need to reform the influence of money in politics, which he said has become a leading issue in the campaign.
"Here I am, some guy from Alford, raising small money, and the conversation in the campaign for three and a half months now has been about the issues that I'm advancing. So I take that as a real sign that what we're talking about is something that people care a lot about."
These recent comments continue a running theme in challenges by the two Berkshire County candidates of their opponent, Rep. Richard Neal of Springfield, which is shifting into the 1st Mass District. Neal, who has served the 2nd District since 1989, has a vast lead over Nuciforo and Shein in spendable campaign funds.
All three declared candidates in the race recently released campaign financing reports for the first quarter of 2012. Neal raised a total of $122,875 between January and March, compared to $42,493 for Nuciforo and $11,235 for Shein, but the latter candidates pointed to distinctions in the breakdown of income. A majority ($101,250) of Neal's quarterly gain came from committees and PACs, from whom his opponents say they will not accept contributions. Nuciforo pointed out that he outraised Neal 2 to 1 in individual contributions, while Shein, who only accepts donations of $99 or less, touted his more than $11,000 in unitemized individual contributions (under $200) over Neal's $4,125 in this small donation category.
Neal has repeatedly dismissed the notion that large donations from PACs influence his priorities in Congress.
"Successful political campaigns raise money to make sure their candidate's message is heard by voters," Neal spokesman William Tranghese said in a statement. "Congressman Neal is grateful to the many men and women in the district and neighboring states who donate to his campaign and are supporting his re-election."
State Election