TOWN ELECTION NEWS: Familiar Name Announces Write-In Campaign For Housing Authority

WILMINGTON, MA — While there will be no candidates on this year’s Town Election ballot running for Wilmington Housing Authority, voters will still need to fill this important 5-year seat.

Town Clerk Sharon George says the write-in candidate process is simple, noting “a voter just needs to write in a name and whoever receives the most votes win.”

John Goggin announced on social media this week that he is running a write-in campaign for the open seat on the Housing Authority.  Goggin had pulled nomination papers for the seat, but did not return them prior to the filing deadline.

If that names sounds familiar, it is because Goggin previously served on the Housing Authority from 2006 to 2011, including multiple years as Chairman.

In 2011, when Goggin choose not to run for re-election, no candidates stepped forward, which spurred Greg Bendel to wage a successful write-in campaign for the seat.

Interestingly, it is Bendel who is now not seeking re-election to the Housing Authority, instead opting for a run at Selectmen, and it is Goggin who is organizing a write-in campaign to return to the very seat he vacated five years ago.

Town Clerk Sharon George tells Wilmington Apple that she knows of at least one another resident who is considered a write-in candidate for the seat.  Wilmington Apple will continue to monitor the race.

According to its website, the Wilmington Housing Authority was established, according to state law, to provide “decent, safe, and sanitary housing to families, and elderly [and/or disabled persons] of low income at rentals which they can afford until such time as there is no longer a need.”

Most notably, the group oversees the 40 units for low-income elderly and non-elderly handicapped at Deming Way.

The Wilmington Town Election will take place on Saturday, April 23.  Polls are open from 8am to 8pm.

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