Meet the Town Election Candidates

Westborough voters will meet candidates on the March 5 annual town ballot, nine days before the election.

The annual candidates forum sponsored by the Westborough Democratic Town Committee is at 6 p.m. next Sunday, Feb. 24, at the Willows at Westborough, the committee said in a press release Friday.

Candidates for every office on the ballot -- selectman, school committee, housing authority, planning board and library trustee -- have been invited, according to the press release.

Voters will decide two contests on March 5: for selectman, and one of the two housing board seats.

Two three-year terms on the board of selectmen are on the ballot. Incumbents Timothy Dodd and Leigh Emery, and Ruggles Street resident Stephen Faris, are the candidates.

Meanwhile, Whitney Street resident Jill Dupree and Smith Street resident William Linnane are running for a three-year term on the housing authority. Incumbent Charles Naples is unopposed for a five-year term on the housing board. Incumbent Julie Pappazsis isn't seeking re-election.

The selectman and housing seats are among 10 positions on the ballot.

Unopposed for re-election are school committee members Stephen Doret and Bruce Tretter, library trustee Helena Engberg and planning board member Joanne Mallozzi.

Library trustees Karen Griegal and Geralyn Kohler will not seek re-election.

The top two write-in candidates receiving votes will be offered the seats, Town Clerk Nancy Yendriga has said.

The candidates need not accept, though, she said.

The trustees and the selectmen would fill each such vacancy by jointly appointing a resident to serve until the spring 2014 election, when the final two years of that term would be on the ballot, she said.

Democratic Town Committee Chairman Kate Donaghue is asking interested write-in candidates to contact her about the forum, at 508-404-8531.