Primary Election Day Thursday

By Patriot Staff

REGION – In a change from the standard Tuesday  election day, the state primary will be held on a Thursday this year, tomorrow, September 6. For voters in Webster, Dudley, and Oxford, the only contests on the ballot are for US  Congressional seats.

Dudley is now part of the newly drawn First Congressional District, where Democrat Richard E. Neal of Springfield is the incumbent US representative. He is being challenged in the Democratic primary by Andrea F. Nuciforo. Jr., a former state senator and the Berkshire County Registrar of Deeds, and political humorist Bill Shein of Alford, who has not held  public office previously, but has written jokes for Senator Al Franken and has worked for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Congressman Neal has represented the Second Congressional District, which included Webster and Oxford as well as Dudley, since 1988. There are no Republican candidates in the primary.

For Webster and Oxford voters, the primary for US Congress also holds only Democratic candidates. James B. McGovern, incumbent of the Third Congressional District is now running to represent the Second, due to the redistricting. He is being challenged in the primary by William Feegbeh, a Worcester resident with an affinity for politics, but without previous experience.  Mr. McGovern, a member of the House Rules Committee, is running for his ninth term in office.

There are no primary challengers in the positions for state senator, state representative, Governor's council, or US Senate in either major political party. The Green-Rainbow party ballots are completely empty.

“This is unusual,” said Webster Town Clerk Robert Craver. The lack of contests will hamper  voter participation. he said. “I'm hoping for a decent turnout, but I'm not optimistic. It's really  disconcerting; we spend $6,000-$8,000 for the election and print ballots for people to vote. We'll probably have to throw most of them away.” He said he'd still like to see people exercise their obligation to vote. In other countries “people die for the right to vote.”

In Dudley, Town Clerk Ora Finn agreed. “I'm expecting a low turnout, but it wouldn't be bad if I was surprised.” The Republican ballot has just three people to vote for and all are unopposed, she noted. “But the real core voters are loyal and will come out.”

State Senator Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge) will be unopposed in the November election. Governor's Councillor Jennie Caissie will also be unopposed.

State representative candidates will be challenged in the November election, however, if not in the primaries. In the newly drawn 6th Worcester congressional district, which includes Dudley, Southbridge, and precincts in Charlton and Spencer, incumbent Republican Peter J. Durant will be challenged by Democrat Kathleen Walker, selectwoman from Charlton. In the new 18th Worcester district, which includes Webster, precincts  1 and 4 in Oxford, Douglas, and Sutton, Democrat Donald Bourque, chairman of the Board of Selectmen in Webster, will run against incumbent Republican Ryan Fattman.  In the 7th Worcester district, which includes precincts 2 and 3 of Oxford, Auburn and Millbury, incumbent Paul K. Frost is unopposed in both the primary and the general election.

Voters registered in a political party may only vote in that party’s primary. Unenrolled (Independent) voters may vote in the Democratic, Republican, or Green-Rainbow party, and will remain unenrolled after voting.

All Dudley precincts vote at the Municipal Center. All Webster precincts vote at the Town Hall. Oxford Precincts 1 and 4 vote at the Chaffee School, Precinct 2 at the Middle School, Precinct 3 at the Town Hall.