Brookline Elections 2021: Who's Running, What To Know

BROOKLINE, MA — Each year the town holds annual elections on the first Tuesday in May. This year's election will be held May 4. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

There are several contested races to watch, including a two-way race for Town Moderator. Five people are vying to fill two open seats on the Select Board, and there's also a two-way race for an open seat on the School Committee. All but three of Brookline's 16 precincts have races for Town Meeting members. There are also two ballot questions this year.

• Related: Election 2021 In Brookline: Polls Open, Turnout, Photos

Read about who is running and all things election below:

First up: check your voting status on the Secretary of State's website. You can also use the website to find your polling place. Make sure you have registered.

Positions up for election:

Town Meeting Moderator: Three-year term
Description of Office: The Moderator sets the order of the Agenda and presides over Town Meeting. The Moderator also appoints members of the Advisory Committee, the Committee on Town Organization and Structure and ad hoc committees authorized by Town Meeting.

On the ballot:

• C. Scott Ananian
• Kate Poverman

Town Clerk: Three-year term
Description of Office: The Clerk is responsible for keeping a wide range of records such as deeds, voting lists, election records, vital statistics, mortgages, business ownerships and licenses. The Clerk is responsible for the legal conduct of elections, care for voting machines, preparation of
sample machine ballots, training of election workers, and reporting results to the Secretary of State. The Clerk records attendance proceedings and votes at Town Meeting. In 2021 there will be a ballot question for voters to approve or reject the change from elected to an appointed Town Clerk, approved at the Fall 2020 Town Meeting. The previous Town Clerk has been out ill for the past year.

On the ballot: Benjamin Kaufman

Select Board: Two Select Board members will be elected for a three-year term.

Description of Office: The Select Board is made up of five members who are elected for three-year terms. As the chief elected and executive officers of the town, the select board is vested with all the municipal authority not specifically retained by the town's legislative body, Town Meeting. The Select Board appoints a town administrator, responsible for the daily management of the town.

On the ballot:

• Bernard Greene*
• Nancy Heller*
• Donnelle O'Neal Sr.
• Miriam T. Aschkenasy
• Zoe Lynn

School Committee: Three school committee members will be elected for a three-year term and One school committee member for a one-year term.
Description of Office: Nine Brookline residents are elected with authority to select and to terminate the superintendent; to review and approve budgets for public education; to seek funding to support its programs from available town, state and federal sources; and to
establish educational goals and policies for the public schools.

On the ballot for three-year term:

• David Pearlman*
• Jennifer Monopoli
• Dimitry Anselme

For one year term:

• Valerie Frias
• Steven Ehrenberg

Library Trustee: Four library trustees will be elected for a three-year term. One library trustee will be elected for a one-year term.

Description of Office: Brookline Library Trustees oversee services and programs provided at the three Brookline public libraries.

On the ballot:

• Carol Lohe*
• Regina Healy*
• Sassan Zelkha
• Kristin Hung

For the one-year term:

• Matthew Shakespeare

Housing Authority: One housing authority board member will be elected for a five-year term.
Description of Office: The Brookline Housing Authority owns and manages more than 1,500 units of affordable housing in town.

On the ballot:

• Michael Jacobs*

Constable: One constable will be elected for a one-year term.
Description of Office: Five registered voters are elected to serve as Town Constables. They deliver summons and complaints, executions, real estate attachments, and writs and trustee process; civil and criminal arrest warrants; summary process summons and complaints and evictions; subpoenas and writs from courts; restraining orders; small claims notices; and posting of Town meetings, warrants and other notices.

On the ballot:

• Samuel Botsford

Town Meeting Members:

Town Meeting acts as the town's legislative body. Some 240 elected volunteers represent the town's 16 precincts during two annual meetings. There are contested races for in Precinct 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, and 16.

To see who is running for your precincts head to the Brookline Town Clerk's office online.

Ballot questions:

There are two questions put before the town voters in this election.

Question 1: Shall the town vote to have its elected Town Clerk become an appointed Town Clerk of the town? (Up until now, the Town Clerk has been a town-wide decision).

Question 2:

Shall this Town accept sections 3 to 7, inclusive of chapter 44B of the General Laws, as approved by its legislative body, a summary of which appears below?

Sections 3 to 7 of Chapter 44B of the General Laws of Massachusetts, also known as the Community Preservation Act (“Act”), establishes a dedicated funding source to enable cities and towns to (1) acquire open space, including land for park and recreational uses, wetlands, farm land, forests, marshes, scenic areas, wildlife preserves and other conservation areas, (2) acquire and restore historic buildings and sites, and (3) create affordable housing.

If approved, the funding source for eligible community preservation purposes will be a surcharge of 1% on the annual property tax assessed on real property in the Town of Brookline commencing in fiscal year 2022 and annual distributions made by the state from a trust fund created by the Act.

Property owned and occupied as a domicile by any person who qualifies for low income housing or low or moderate income senior housing in the Town of Brookline, as defined in Section 2 of the Act, will be exempt from the surcharge.

A Community Preservation Committee will be established by by-law to study community
preservation resources, possibilities and needs, and to make annual recommendations to town meeting on spending the funds. At least 10% of the funds for each fiscal year will be spent or reserved for later spending on each of the Act’s three community preservation purposes: (1) open space, (2) historic resources and (3) affordable housing.

Vote by mail

By now you should have received your mail-in ballots. If you didn't go vote before 8 p.m. If you did: Mail-in/absentee ballots must be received by the Town Clerk's Office by 8 p.m. on election day in order to be counted.

New Polling Place for Precinct 15

Residents of Precinct 15 who choose to vote on election day should note that their polling place has changed. The polling place has changed from Baker School to the rear of Fire Station 6, 962 Hammond St.
To determine your precinct, click here. To find your polling place, click here.

Check out this debate: