...and the 2010 School Board Race Kicks Off!

By the 5:00 pm deadline this evening, FOUR sets of nomination papers were turned in for school board. Of course...who knows...maybe John Whalen will up the ante on his penchant for deadline violations and accept papers late from some heretofore unknown candidate.

Coming as no surprise, the three incumbents (Caren Diedrich, Jim McCourt, and Al Slane) all submitted their nomination papers. We wonder if McCourt had his papers left at the Beans and Cream counter as he did last time.

The fourth candidate is none other than John Welke, who was unsuccessful as a write-in candidate last year, although he created quite a buzz within the community and managed to entice over 800 people to write his name in on the ballot. That's an incredible number.

There are 3 seats and 4 candidates, so there will be no primary. Our bet is that all three of the incumbents are a little nervous tonite. This time they face the formidable challenger Welke with his name ON the ballot. Welke has only served to strengthen his candidacy through his recent appointment as the school board's citizen representative for the Facilities, Technology, and Transportation (FTT) committee. He also serves as the Town of Bristol's liaison to the school board.

Next Monday night, the candidates will draw for the order in which their names appear on the ballot. Let the games begin!

The Incumbents Are Running!!! The Incumbents Are Running!

Word on the street was that Jim McCourt was going to focus on his new business and forego running for re-election. We also heard from several board members that board members themselves were lobbying hard with Caren Diedrich to NOT run for re-election---so much for unity and decorum, eh? Finally, we heard all kinds of waffling noises coming from Al Slane.

But in the end...all three apparently are actively circulating nomination papers and intend to run again for their less valuable (after October 12, 2009) seats.

We hear that John Welke may be tossing his hat in the ring again. This time, however, he'll be on the ballot. And someone that garnered nearly 900 votes running as a write-in candidate should be a formidable opponent this spring for the lock-step crowd.

We have wondered since last spring how exactly John Whalen obtained the number of votes he did last spring. In fact, old John E Boy himself was even more surprised than we were. Reports indicate that Whalen questioned his chances even very late in the campaign, and really would have preferred not to run.

Does anyone else think that the similarity in names -- John Whalen -- John Welke-- might have played against Welke and FOR Whalen? That people got to the ballot box, and seeing the name "John Whalen" on the ballot (and no "John Welke") that maybe they selected "Whalen", believing they were voting for the challenger not on the ballot?

We'll never know how many people may have simply selected "John Whalen" because the name sounded like that other guy...John Welke.

Maybe we'll find out this April.