After three interviews and a brief deliberation, Edgartown selectmen chose Karen Medeiros as their new town clerk on Monday. Mrs. Medeiros has worked as assistant town clerk for the past 27 years.
Vineyard voters will join their counterparts across the country at the polls Tuesday in a presidential election year expected to go down in history for unprecedented rancor, and an electorate on edge.
Marion Mudge’s preparation for Tuesday’s Tisbury town election began well before the actual event. Absentee ballots were sent out, members of the fire and public works departments were consulted for setup, voting booths arranged, signs posted and stocks of snacks purchased at the grocery store for election volunteers.
As Tisbury town clerk for the past 30 years, Ms. Mudge has kept track of Tisbury’s vital records — its births, deaths, marriages and civil unions. But elections remain her favorite part of the job.
Town clerks maintain bylaws, keep track of the open meeting law, conflict of interest law, campaign finance forms and they swear people in. They are also keepers of the town seal.
Senior personnel changes are underway in Oak Bluffs, with the longtime town clerk retiring and a new acting fire chief in place.
Town clerk Deborah deBettencourt Ratcliff, who has worked for the office for 25 years and served as town clerk since 1997, announced her retirement this week. Her last day will be June 30.
The selectmen accepted her retirement with regret at their meeting Tuesday, and appointed assistant town clerk Laura Johnston as the acting town clerk.
The last day to register to vote in Massachusetts was Wednesday, and the deadline saw a flurry of activity in town halls across the Island.
“I’m working fast and furious,” reported Edgartown town clerk Wanda Williams yesterday morning. Ms. Williams said nearly 60 new voters registered in Edgartown on Wednesday. Because she is still entering figures, the town clerk was unable to report the new total number of registered voters in town at press time.