BRATTLEBORO — This year's Selectboard race can be framed as a tale of two incumbents - and the differing paths they chose toward re-election.
Last year, Brandi Starr and Tim Wessel were elected to one-year seats on the Selectboard. Both Starr and Wessel are running again this year.
Starr chose to run for the three-year seat on the board being vacated by John Allen, who chose not to seek re-election. After the Jan. 29 deadline for turning in nomination petitions had passed, Starr found herself running unopposed.
Wessel took out nomination papers for both the one- and the three-year seat, but ultimately chose to run for one of the two one-year seats. Now, Wessel finds himself in a three-way race against political newcomers Shanta Lee Gander and William Forchion.
According to Town Clerk Hilary Francis, one other potential Selectboard candidate, Daniel Quipp, took out papers, but decided instead to run for a Representative Town Meeting seat.
Francis said the only other contested race on the March 6 election ballot for town officers is for a three-year seat on the Brattleboro Union High School Board. Incumbents Ricky Davidson, current chair of the board, and Katey Everest are being challenged by Christopher Lievense.
Francis said she was dismayed by the number of seats that are open for Representative Town Meeting on March 24. There are 13 seats open in District 1, four in District 2, and nine in District 3. These seats will have to be filled at the District caucuses that are traditionally held before the information session on the Town Meeting warrant.
No one took out papers for the one-year seat for Second Constable, so that position will be contested by write-in candidates.
Voting for town officers takes place on Tuesday, March 6, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the Selectboard Meeting Room in the Municipal Center.