Natick Report

More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

One final push at Natick’s candidate corners

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Candidates for seats at this coming Tuesday’s Natick election (see our guide) joined with supporters for 1 final Saturday morning to hold signs and chat with the public at the intersection of Rtes. 135 and 27.

They had plenty of eyeballs on their signs, as pedestrians, drivers, and a zillion runners getting in 1 of their last big training efforts before the Boston Marathon. There were lots of beeps and waves to be had.

The biggest challenges for sign holders were temps in the 30s/40s and brisk winds, requiring strategic placement of signs so as not to get blown into the middle of traffic and create an even more compelling photo opp. Participants of all ages kept things lively, with kids running about and current elected officials coming to the rescue with donuts and other treats for those supporting any of the candidates.

town election candidate signs rte 135 27 intersection

town election candidate signs rte 135 27 intersection

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Natick Town Election Guide 2023

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Natick’s Annual Town Election will take place on Tuesday, March 28. Here is Natick Report’s guide on all you need to know about exercising your right to vote, if you haven’t already done so.

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Ways to cast your vote in Natick

 

Vote in person at the polls

The polls will be open for in-person voting 7am-8pm.

Here is a link for a sample ballot for each precinct.

Don’t know which precinct you’re in? Here’s how to find out where to vote in Natick, Massachusetts.

Precinct 1: Kennedy Middle School, 165 Mill St.
Precinct 2: Kennedy Middle School, 165 Mill St.
Precinct 3: Kennedy Middle School, 165 Mill St.
Precinct 4: Wilson Middle School, 22 Rutledge Rd.
Precinct 5: Wilson Middle School, 22 Rutledge Rd.
Precinct 6: Lilja School, 41 Bacon St.
Precinct 7: Community Senior Center, 117 East Central St.
Precinct 8: Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central St.
Precinct 9: Community Senior Center, 117 East Central St.
Precinct 10: Community Senior Center, 117 East Central St.

Vote by mail

Completed mail-in ballots must be RECEIVED by Town Hall no later than 8pm on Tuesday, March 28, 2023. They may be brought to the Town Clerk’s office or to the drop box outside of Natick Town Hall, 13 E. Central St. Vote by Mail ballots may NOT be dropped off at polling locations.

Note: applications to vote by mail are no longer being accepted. (The last day to get an application to the Town Clerk was five business days before the election.)

Contested races

Names are listed in the order on which they appear on the ballot.

Select Board—4 candidates, for 2 openings (3-year terms)
Richard Sidney, candidate for re-election
Kat Monahan
Kristen Pope
Roger Scott

School Committee—4 candidates, for 2 openings (3-year terms)
Donna McKenzie, candidate for re-election
Matthew Brand
Kate Flathers
Leigh Hallisey

Morse Institute Library Trustees 6 candidates, for 5 openings (5-year terms)
Kathleen Donovan  (candidate for re-election)
Carol Gloff  (candidate for re-election)
Gerald Mazor  (candidate for re-election)
Sally McCoubrey  (candidate for re-election)
Thomas Hourihan
Anna McMahan

Uncontested races

Names are listed in the order on which they appear on the ballot.

Planning Board (1 for 5-year term)
Teresa Evans  (candidate for re-election)

Recreation and Parks Commission (2 for 3-year terms)
Barbara Fahey Sanchez  (candidate for re-election)

Board of Assessors (1 for 3-year term)
Wendy J. Curran-Elassy

Board of Health (1 for 3-year term)
Karla Hope Sangrey  (candidate for re-election)

Natick Housing Authority (1 for 5-year term)
David Ciminelli

Natick Housing Authority (1 for 3-year term)
No candidate will appear on the ballot

Constable (2 for 2-year terms)
No candidate will appear on the ballot

Q & A posts

The candidates running for Select Board and School Committee—both are contested races—took the time to answer questions from Natick Report. For your convenience, below is a round-up of the candidates’ Q&A posts.

Don’t forget the ballot question

There is 1 question on the ballot, regarding amendment of the Natick Home Rule Charter to change the Natick Town Clerk position from elected to appointed.

Town meeting

Town meeting is the legislative branch of Natick’s government—the body with the power of the purse and the power to make laws. Town Meeting consisting of 180 members, with 18 representatives from each of Natick’s ten precincts. Members are elected to three-year staggered terms.

In the 2023 election, Precincts 4, 6, and 10 are contested races. The names of those running can be seen on the sample ballots.

If you have any election/voting questions, please call the Town Clerk’s Office at 508-647-6430, ext. 4

Friday is letters to the editor day in Natick

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Natick Report accepts letters to the editor. Letters must be of general local community interest and must be signed. Community shout-outs are also accepted and encouraged. For example, a non-profit may thank an organization for a donation received.

The next deadline to submit a letter to the editor is Wednesday, March 29, noon, to appear on Friday, March 31, or a later Friday.

Please review detailed guidelines for letters to the editor here.

Please send tips, photos, ideas to natickreport@gmail.com

Level99 expanding beyond Natick into… Providence

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Level99, the interactive game venue that opened in 2021 at Natick Mall, says it will be coming to Providence Place toward the end of this year.

According to Level99: “This will be Level99’s second location. It will feature some of our players’ favorite games, as well as dozens of new challenge rooms, arena contests and local artwork unique to Providence. Night Shift Brewing will provide elevated food and craft beverage options. Construction begins next month in the space previously occupied by JCPenny, and more updates will follow!”

Level99 is also intertwined with a  Night Shift Brewing beer hall and kitchen/taproom at Natick Mall, where Level99 has updated its colorful challenge rooms and arena-style competitions throughout its tenure across its 48,000 sq. ft. of space. Game spaces go by names such as Apocalypse Checkpoint, Mansion Banquet, and Space Nebula.

Natick Mall has increasingly converted its space into “experience” venues. A new entertainment business called Immersive Gamebox plans to bring its group video game venue into the mix ths year. That adds to Dave & Buster’s and another new business called Puttshack mini-golf.

Level99 Tarzan room

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Sign up now for summer camp in Natick (and beyond)

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SPONSORED CONTENT: Thanks to the LINX Companies, provider of premier summer day camp experiences to the greater Boston area, for their sponsorship of Natick Report’s Summer Camps page.

LINX Camps creates fun, exciting, inspiring experiences for kids and teens through high quality programming in an emotionally safe environment led by extraordinary staff. The LINX Camps team offers attentive customer service and convenience-focused amenities to support the needs of parents and families. REGISTER HERE.

LINX, Wellesley