By Muriel Bristol | March 19, 2021
Milton’s Town election of Tuesday, March 9. 2021, was quite lightly attended – only 654 participants – despite its being a clear day.
(Ed.: Only about 20% of Milton’s registered voters came out for this election. We might hope indeed that – as the mathematicians have it – the mean of this sample more or less equals a sample of the overall mean).
Article 1 encompasses the various elective offices. The results for the following contested elections in order by their highest vote count were:
Stan J. Nadeau and Larry Brown won the two three-year seats on the Zoning Board of Adjustment with 417 votes (63.8%) and 339 votes (51.8%) respectively. “Scattering” received 20 votes (3.1%). Some 237 voters (36.2%) expressed no preference.
Robert P. Carrier and James (Mike) Beaulieu won the two three-year seats on the Budget Committee with 397 votes (60.7%) and 394 votes (60.2%) respectively. “Scattering” received 11 votes (1.7%). (802 votes were cast of a potential 1,308). Some 253 voters (38.7%) expressed no preference.
Patrick Smith, with 376 votes (57.5%), won the election for Public Works Director, over Andrew Rawson, with 251 votes (38.4%), and “scattering” with 1 vote (0.2%). Some 26 voters (4.0%) did not make a choice between them.
John Katwick, with 328 votes (50.2%), won the three-year position as Cemetery Trustee over Victoria K. Finlayson and Louise LaPlante, with 115 votes (17.6%) and 114 votes (17.4%) respectively. Scattering received 3 votes (0.5%). Some 94 voters (14.4%) did not make a choice between them.
Claudine Burnham, with 323 votes (49.4%), edged out Humphrey Williams, with 290 votes (44.3%), for the three-year term on the Board of Selectmen. Some 41 voters (6.3%) expressed no preference between them.
Five candidates vied for the two three-year seats on the Planning Board. Paul Steer and Anthony Gagnon won the two seats with 305 votes (46.6%) and 227 votes (34.7%) respectively. (1,092 votes were cast of a potential 1,308). Larry Brown received 217 votes (33.2%), Kym Libby received 177 votes (27.1%), and Lynette McDougall received 162 votes (24.8%). “Scattering” received 4 votes (0.6%). Some 108 voters (16.5%) expressed no preference.
The results of the following uncontested elections have been arranged also in their vote-count order:
Nancy J. Drew won a three-year position as Library Trustee with 542 votes (82.9%). There were 2 votes (0.3%) for “Scattering” and 110 voters (16.8%) made no choice.
Marion E. Trafton won a three-year position as Trustee of the Trust Funds with 521 votes (79.7%). Some 133 voters (20.3%) made no choice.
McKenzie Campbell won a one-year term as Treasurer with 506 write-in votes (77.4%). There were 2 votes (0.3%) for “Scattering” and 146 voters (22.3%) made no choice.
Laura Turgeon won a one-year term on the Budget Committee with 40 write-in votes (6.1%).
Results of the following outside warrant articles have been arranged by their vote counts.
(Ed.: Mr. Plissken would draw our attention to the fact that – per usual – every single one of the following articles was recommended unanimously by the Board of Selectmen, and that not a single one passed at that same 100% level).
Article 12: Eradicate Invasive Plant Species. This article passed with 500 votes (76.5%) in favor, 128 votes (19.6%) opposed, and 26 abstentions (4.0%).
Article 9: Milton Free Public Library Capital Reserve Fund. This article passed with 458 votes (70.0%) in favor, 171 votes (26.1%) opposed, and 25 abstentions (3.8%).
Article 16: Posting Casey Road Conservation Land. This article passed with 445 votes (68.0%) in favor, 165 votes (25.2%) opposed, and 44 abstentions (6.7%).
Article 6: Bridge Capital Reserve Fund. This article passed with 444 votes (67.9%) in favor, 183 votes (28.0%) opposed, and 27 abstentions (4.1%).
Article 8: Boat Ramp Repair. This article passed with 443 votes (67.7%) in favor, 186 votes (28.4%) opposed, and 118 abstentions (3.8%)
.Article 10: Technology Upgrade Capital Reserve Fund. This article passed with 435 votes (66.5%) in favor, 186 votes (28.4%) opposed, and 33 abstentions (5.0%).
Article 3: Operating Budget. This article passed with 433 votes (66.2%) in favor, 192 votes (29.4%) opposed, and 29 abstentions (4.4%).
(Ed.: We may note that Mr. Williams and the Budget Committee made a concerted effort to bring the proposed budget in at a lower amount than the default budget. While not the actual cuts that are needed, this “holding of the line” did represent a step in the right direction).
Article 11: Geographic Information System. This article passed with 425 votes (65.0%) in favor, 197 votes (30.1%) opposed, and 32 abstentions (4.9%).
Article 7: Municipal Buildings Capital Reserve Fund. This article passed with 423 votes (64.7%) in favor, 200 votes (30.6%) opposed, and 31 abstentions (4.7%).
Article 4: Highway and Road Reconstruction Fund. This article passed with 413 votes (63.1%) in favor, 214 votes (32.7%) opposed, and 27 abstentions (4.1%).
Article 15: Amendment of Tax Cap – Use of July Northeast Region Consumer Price Index (CPI). This article passed with 390 votes (59.6%) in favor, 212 votes (32.4%) opposed, and 52 abstentions (8.0%).
Article 13: Establishment of Independent Capital Improvement Program Committee. This article passed with 384 votes (58.7%) in favor, 233 votes (35.6%) opposed, and 37 abstentions (5.7%). (See Article 13: Independent CIP Committee).
Article 2: Zoning – Zoning Ordinance Amendment, Solar Facilities. This article passed with 367 votes (56.1%) in favor, 169 votes (25.8%) opposed, and 118 abstentions (18.0%).
Article 17: Paving of Bolan Road. This article failed with 257 votes (39.3%) in favor, 350 votes (53.5%) opposed, and 47 abstentions (7.2%).
Article 14: Dawson Street & Silver Street Area Drainage Project – Phase 1. This article passed with 343 votes (52.5%) in favor, 286 votes (43.7%) opposed, and 25 abstentions (3.8%).
Article 5: Employee Retention Plan. This article passed with 332 votes (50.8%) in favor, 291 votes (44.5%) opposed, and 31 abstentions (4.7%). (See Article 5: Employee Retention Plan).
See Town Election Results for March 10, 2020 and Town Election Results for March 12, 2019. (See also School District Election Results for March 9, 2021)
References:
Town of Milton. (2021). Milton Election Results, March 9th, 2021. Retrieved from www.miltonnh-us.com/sites/g/files/vyhlif916/f/uploads/march_9th_2021_milton_results.pdf
Milton Observer 
So, overall, the turn-out for things that affect us directly was low and our taxes are going up, up, up because we are voting for what is suggested instead of using our own reasoning faculties.
The other problem is we still have on the ballot in the voting booth recommended by or not recommended by and they say who the elected officials are. Doesn’t that constitute influencing the vote inside the voting booth? Those should not be on ballots, it should be that the people are reading what is in front of them or having read what’s in front of them so that they understand what they’re voting for, not so that they can just go in and go, oh well, somebody recommended this so let’s go for it.
I find it despicable and influencing of the vote. Town budget goes down and the town votes for more spending. More people being taxed out of their homes through their own ignorance and disinterest in their local issues which impact is the most.
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