Two races contested as election deadlines near

The clock is ticking on deadlines to submit papers for the annual Wareham town election.

As of Monday, March 9, two races are contested. The Select Board has three candidates running for two seats and the School Committee has four candidates running for two seats.

Wareham nomination papers are due Tuesday, March 17 at 5 p.m. The last day for withdrawal from the election is Thursday, April 2. 

Incumbents on the Select Board Chair Judith Whiteside and member Sarah Corbitt have pulled nomination papers and are running for reelection. Whiteside was reelected in 2023 and Crobitt in 2024.

Familiar face Jim Munise pulled nomination papers for this years Select Board race. Munise is no stranger to the world of town government, having served a term on the Select Board in 2019.

Munise lost his seat after running for reelection in 2022 and also ran in 2023, losing to Judith Whiteside and Tricia Wurts. He is currently a member on the Wareham Housing Authority with a term expiring in 2030.

At the time of publication Munise could not be reached for comment.

School Committee sees Vice Chair Kevin Brogioli and Secretary Bacchiocchi's terms set to expire in May. Both have pulled out nomination papers, but Brogioli said he is still unsure if he will return his papers and run once again. 

First-timers Jordan Johnson and Nancy Tynan Cederholm are running against the two incumbents. Both have frequented meetings and voiced opinions on paraprofessional contract related issues. 

Running for his first-ever town government position at just 18-years-old, Johnson said he's joined the race because "there's a lot of problems in our district."

"Whether it's the complacency in voting or the problems with communicating with parents, I see a lot that needs to be worked on. I think a fresh set of hands with recent experience in the school system would be of a lot of support to the school committee," he said. 

Cederholm has worked for Wareham Public Schools since the 90s and works as a administrative assistant for special education. She could not be reached for comment at the time of publication. 

The Board of Assessors, responsible for evaluating all commercial and personal property within the town, has two seats available. The Sewer Commission, responsible for matters relating to sanitary sewer systems, has two seats available, one for At Large Sewer Commissioner and one for Sewer User Commissioner. 

Those races remain uncontested with incumbents James McCahill and Priscilla Porter on the Board of Assessors planning on running for reelection and pulling papers.

Vice Chair Robert Scanlan and Citizen at Large Scott Soby are up for reelection for the Sewer Commission and have both confirmed to be rerunning, pulling out nomination papers.