Wareham's Town Clerk will remain an elected position, as of Monday night's Town Meeting.

In a 75-70 vote, residents rejected putting a question on April's ballot that would make the Town Clerk an appointed position.

Mary Ann Silva, the current Town Clerk of 17 ½ years, said she did not take a stance on the article. However, she read a “pros and cons” list for both appointed clerks and elected clerks. Silva got her research by contacting 30 other clerks around the Commonwealth.

Some pros she listed for appointment included: the Clerk would have to answer to the Board of Selectmen; a higher salary; the position would be unionized; and the position would get sick time and vacation time.

Some cons she listed for appointment included: the appointment takes the decision out of the hands out of the voters; it costs more money; and the Clerk would have less autonomy.

If the Clerk were elected, however, some of the pros, Silva said, included: accountability to the voters; the Clerk would be required to live in town; the Clerk's pay is lower; and the process of electing a Clerk represents democracy.

Some cons she listed for an elected position included: no direct supervisor; candidates may be elected, due to popularity, rather than competence; the average salary is lower than the Clerk's colleagues'; and a recall process is in place.

Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Patrick Tropeano argued against an elected role for Town Clerk, saying that popularity contests could elect an unqualified clerk. He said that in Wareham’s past, other elected positions have resulted in incompetent people in their positions.

Town resident Donna Brock made the argument that an elected clerk has proven successful in the past.

“I feel much happier when I go to see our town clerk that this person is a resident of our town,” resident Robert Brousseau said. “She’s been in the position, she’s had the past election, there is nothing wrong with the democratic process. If this is being done for the sake of efficiency, think very very hard, because I don’t think it could be all that efficient.”

“Since we have elected a single person to that Clerk’s office, it’s been run efficiently,” concurred resident Ervin Russell. “If it aint broke don’t fix it.”

“As a voter, I am very reluctant to give up my right to vote,” resident Mike Pohl said. “I would rather have me – or have us – make a bad choice, rather than the Town Adminstrator make a bad choice.”

“I think we've had excellent results," Brock said. "It should be in the hands of the voters.”

The Town Clerk is the keeper of vital statistics, custodian of the town seal and all records of the town. Town clerk also administers the oath of office to all town officers, elected or appointed, issues licences and permits as required by law, supervises and manages the conduct of elections, keeps the records, and in the absence of of the Town Moderator, serves as temporary pesiding officer.

Town Clerks are an appointed position in only 29 of the 352 municipalities of Massachusetts.