The Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council (JPNC) held its regular monthly meeting this past Tuesday, February 26. On hand for the session were chair Renee Stacey Welch and fellow members Bernard Doherty, Peter DeCotis, Danielle Sommer Kieta, Michael Reiskind, Chase Brewster, Aiko Miller, Alessia Shelley, Dave Baron, Willie Mitchell, Carla-Lisa Caliga, Alcurtis Clark, Lorenzo Bartoloni, Sarah Freeman. and Erin Ashleigh-Bailey,
The members voted unanimously to schedule the JPNC’s biennial election for Saturday, May 16, from 10-4.
“This is the date and there will be no postponement of this election,” said Welch, referring to the two previously-scheduled election dates last year in May and September that were cancelled because of a lack of both candidates and volunteers to administer the election process.
In response to a question from Thorn, Welch said that candidates will be able to use the signatures they had submitted on their nomination papers for the previous election dates provided that those who signed the nomination papers still are residents of Jamaica Plain per the city’s census rolls.
Candidates for the three area council seats (areas A,B, and C) must submit 25 signatures and those running for an at-large seat must submit 50 signatures. The JPNC consists of 20 members, five from each of the three areas and five at-large.
Welch mentioned that each current council member is being asked to bring 3-5 volunteers to help run and coordinate the election on election day.
Clark, a member of the JPNC’s Outreach Committee (which has been working on the logistics of the election), said the voting will be conducted at three different sites, with each volunteer being asked to provide services for a 4-hour window.
“We will need approximately 30 volunteers in order to do this properly,” said Clark. “The three election polling locations will be the usual sites, JP Licks at 659 Centre St., the Food Hub at Forest Hills, and the Stop and Shop at Jackson Square.”
Clark further stated that there will be both in-person and virtual training sessions for the volunteers. The Community Room at Extra Space storage, which is accessible at the Burnett St. entrance, will be the location for the in-person training.
Clark mentioned that the Outreach Committee will be reviewing the materials for the election that eventually will be posted on the JPNC’s website. She also noted that the committee will be reaching out to past volunteers to assist with this year’s election.
Welch asked that the chairs of each of the JPNC’s committees reach out to the Community Members of their committees to ask them to volunteer.
Bartoloni will be in charge of updating the JPNC’s website with election information.
Welch, who announced at the meeting that she is not running for reelection, said she will serve as one of the ombudspersons for election day.
Reiskind said that the nomination packets will be available on March 18 both on the JPNC’s website and at the three libraries in JP and at Curtis Hall. April 12 is the deadline for submitting the nomination papers with the required signatures. Verification of the signatures will take place from April 12-16 by the ombudspeople, followed by an appeal period of about a week for any candidates whose signatures have been rejected.
The candidates’ formal campaigns then will take place from April 24 to May 16.