Selectmen approve changes to voting precincts

Selectmen approved a new re-precincting plan as suggested by the Secretary of State’s Election Division and presented by Town Clerk Tracy Kenney in an unusual Wednesday afternoon selectmen’s meeting on June 8.

Although it is not official, selectmen approved the plans and sent it to the secretary of state and the Local Election Districts Review Commission for final clearance. It would take effect in 2012, beginning with the presidential primary.

Due to population changes picked up by the 2010 federal census, a portion of what is now Precinct 3 will be moved to Precinct 4 — a move that will impact 202 registered voters, most of whom live in the Greet Street area, just north of Route 93. The affected individuals will change their voting stations from Blue Hills Regional School to the John F. Kennedy Elementary School.

In addition, an estimated 20 to 25 voters living in the Jackson Street area near the Canton Junction railroad station will move from Precinct 5 to Precinct 6 and will vote at Canton High School.

The biggest population change occurred in Precinct 3, where several new housing developments have been built. The boundaries for Precincts 1 and 2 will remain unchanged.

All residents impacted by the changes will receive formal letters of notification once the changes are finalized. In addition, an updated precinct map will be published in local newspapers. These changes will have no impact on state legislative districts or congressional districts.

The changes were proposed by the Secretary of State’s office after reviewing the recent federal census. If selectmen did not approve the plan, the state would have imposed costs on the town, and Canton officials would have lost all control over the process.

Selectmen Chairman John Connolly stressed that the changes were not “Tracy Kenney’s idea,” but the secretary of state’s plan, and in his opinion it was the fairest plan for Canton voters.

The 2010 census lists Canton as having a population of 21,561 residents, and each of the six precincts should have about 3,595 voters and cannot be greater or less than five percent of this target.

The only opposition to the plan was voiced by Selectman Avril Elkort, who noted that residents in the Green Street area will now have a longer distance to travel to vote.

In other news:

* Recreation Department Director Jeff Kaylor and Recreation Commission Chairman Larry Bogue reported that the Canton Recreation summer program booklet is now available. Residents can access the booklet at www.town.canton.ma.us/recreation/recreation.htm. They can also register for programs online at www.cantonrec.com. The town pool will open on June 25 and summer programs begin June 27. Among the new activities planned for this summer is a “movie night” at Canton High School, with a specific date and time expected to be announced very soon.

* Suzanne Gill was named to the Canton Youth Commission for a three-year term.

* The annual Run 4 Lindy Road Race was approved for June 26 at 10 a.m. The run will start and finish at St. John’s School and will follow a route from Washington to Church and Neponset streets, up Chapman to Beatty and Legion streets.

* The board will next meet on Tuesday, June 21, at 7 p.m. in the Salah Meeting Room. Selectmen will vote on the proposed water and sewer rate increases for the coming fiscal year.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jun 15 2011. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.