By Tom Ayres, Senior Staff Writer
Woodstock Town Clerk F. Charles Degener confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that five candidates have filed to run for two open seats on the Woodstock Selectboard. Balloting will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 11, coincident with the statewide primary voting that day. Absentee and early voting ballots for the selectboard races are expected to be available as of tomorrow, Friday, July 10, Degener said.
The two selectboard slots — both for unexpired terms — will be filled by voters via Australian ballot. Susan Chiefsky and Byron Kelly are running for the board seat that former selectboard chair Ray Bourgeois vacated in April. The candidate elected will serve the remaining year of Bourgeois’ unexpired term until Town Meeting on March 2, 2027.
Degener said three candidates will vie for election to the unexpired term of former vice chair Laura Powell, who stepped down from the town governing body in May. Marybeth DeFalco, Clayton Reed, and Mary Ann Sweeney are running to fill the term, which concludes at Town Meeting on March 7, 2028.
Last month, Eric Nesbitt filed to run for Bourgeois’ unexpired term, but Degener reported that Nesbitt withdrew his candidacy on Monday.
The Vermont Standard will publish profiles of the selectboard candidates in an upcoming issue.
