Hopkinton News : election

Hopkinton college student goes to Democratic National Convention

Bow Editor — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:34:00 GMT

When Barack Obama was running for president in the New Hampshire primary, Hopkinton’s Erin Thesing devoted hundreds of volunteer hours to help his campaign.

This summer, she will support him in a different way – as an Obama delegate from New Hampshire at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

It’s heady stuff for a 20- year-old University of New Hampshire sophomore involved in her first presidential campaign.

“I’m blown away, really,” said Thesing. “A year-and-ahalf ago, I would never have thought I’d be doing anything like this or be this involved in the campaign.”

Soon after the Illinois senator declared his candidacy in February 2007, Thesing became a devoted Obama supporter. She telephoned voters, help at events and canvassed homes – all part of the unglamorous but necessary “grunt work” of a presidential campaign.

At UNH’s Durham campus, she devoted 10 to 15 hours a week. As an intern in the campaign’s Concord office, she put in long days leading up to the Jan. 8 primary.

“I have a tendency to give 100 percent to things,” she said.

Obama lost the primary to Hillary Clinton, but in Hopkinton he beat her 898-526, and in Durham, he finished well ahead of her, 1,302 to 806.

“I love how committed this kid is,” said Susan Covert, headed of the Obama campaign in Hopkinton. “She put her heart and soul on the line to make a difference.”

Covert said Thesing’s involvement embodies what Obama is all about – getting people excited and drawing them into politics.

“He inspired this young woman and she worked her heart out for him,” she said.

Thesing will be one of 30 delegates and four alternate delegates from New Hampshire at the convention.

Within the delegation, 13 members, including Thesing, include: At-large – former Ambassador Terry Schumaker of Concord (for Hillary Clinton); former state Rep. James Demers of Concord (Barack Obama); Sen. Lou D’Allesandro (Clinton); and Edgar Helms of Concord (Obama). District level delegates – Carol Moore of Concord (Obama); Ann Kuster of Hopkinton (Obama); and Senate President Sylvia Larsen of Concord (Clinton). Among the alternate delegates is City Councilor Rob Werner of Concord (John Edwards).

Superdelegates – Congressman Paul Hodes of Concord (Obama); and Gov. John Lynch (unpledged).

Among the Pages are Whip, Gerri King of Concord; and assistant delegation chairman/liaison to elected leaders, attorney Martin Gross of Concord.

As an at-large delegate, Thesing will gather with thousands of other Democrats in Colorado. There, the party will make history, nominating a woman or black man to run in the 2008 presidential election.

Obama is in a tight race for delegates with Clinton, but Thesing thinks he’ll have secured the party’s nomination by the time the convention opens.

The closest thing to a national convention that Thesing has ever been to was a mock convention four years ago at Hopkinton High School, when she had been assigned to be a delegate for John Edwards.

Prior to Obama entering the 2008 presidential race, Thesing had been passionate about several issues, including environmental protection, but wasn’t enthusiastic about politics. Obama changed that. She likes his position on key issues, such as opposing the war in Iraq and making the fight against global warming a national priority and admires his ability to bring people together to solve problems.

“He’s really been able to engage people, and bring people into the process who’ve never been involved before,” said Thesing, who early in the campaign was impressed as she watched Obama at a roundtable discussion on health care.

“It takes something more than just being a leader and changing policy and pushing through certain legislation. It takes, I think, a fundamental change in our country and in its people to be able to bring about a progressive change,” Thesing said.

At UNH, Thesing displays an Obama campaign button on her book bag and jacket, and campaign signs in her dormitory room. She was one of about 35 UNH students who helped the campaign, and one of their key accomplishments was getting more than 300 out-of-state students to register to vote.

It was frustrating for her to encounter students who were apathetic and weren’t planning to vote. Thesing’s support for the campaign isn’t limited to New Hampshire as she has worked in Massachusetts and Maine, and will soon be helping in Oregon.

Even while devoting hours to the campaign, Thesing has continued to earn high grades at UNH. Volunteering didn’t leave much time for a social life and came with some financial sacrifices.

But Thesing appreciates the unique role New Hampshire plays in the presidential race and the affect she has had.

Thesing is studying anthropology and French, but doesn’t know what she’ll do after she graduates in two years, but hopes to be involved in public issues.

“I think the campaign has made me a life-long activist,” she said.

Time to file for town, school district seats

Bow Editor — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:13:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

While Hopkinton residents will cast votes for town and school officials as well as budgets in March, Bow voters will wait until May to make their choices. Bow School District Meeting, however, continues to take place at its traditional time of the year, on March 14.

Hopkinton
Those interested in running for office in Hopkinton must file between Wednesday, Jan. 23, and Friday, Feb. 1.

Town
Open seats and filing information include the following: Two selectmen seats for three-year terms each. Seats currently held by Selectmen Don Lane and Peter Russell are open.

One supervisor of checklist for a six-year term.

Two Budget Committee seats for three-year terms each. These seats are currently held by Jane Bradstreet and Barbara Unger.

Two library trustees for three-year terms.

One cemetery trustee for a three-year term.

One trustee of the trust fund for a three-year term.

One treasurer for three-year term. The currrent treasurer is Bonnie Cressy.

Moderator for a two-year term. This post is currently held by Gary Richardson.

To file to serve on an open town seat, contact Town Clerk Sue Strickford at 846 Main St., Hopkinton.

Hopkinton voters will cast ballots on Tuesday, March 11, at Hopkinton High School, from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Hopkinton Town Meeting is Saturday, March 15, at 9 a.m., at Hopkinton High School.

School district
There are two three-year open seats on the School Board, currently held by Marshall Rowe and Joy Bloomfield.

Treasurer, one-year seat. This post is currently held by Arnold Coda.

Moderator for one year, currently held by Charles Dibble.

To file for school offices, see the Hopkinton town clerk.

The Hopkinton School District Meeting is Saturday, March 8, at 9 a.m., at Hopkinton High School.

Bow
The Bow School District Meeting is Friday, March 14, at 7 p.m., at Bow High School, when residents will vote on the 2008 budget.

Voters will then go to the polls on May 13 for town and school district elections.

School district:
There are two open seats on the Bow School Board, with each carrying a three-year term. Deb McCann and Ann Baier currently hold these seats.

Moderator for a three-year term. Jim Hatem is the current school district moderator.

School district clerk for a three-year term. Louise Knee currently holds this post. Treasurer for a three-year term. The seat is currently held by Mark Lavalle.

Town:
Because Election Day in Bow is May 13, open seats on the town side are not yet available.

Residents and incumbents interested in filing to serve on open town and school district seats must file between Wednesday, March 26, and Tuesday, March 31, at the Town Clerk’s office, 10 Grandview Road, Bow.

Voters reject SB2 for town, school

Bow Editor — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 20:39:00 GMT

BY RYAN O’CONNOR

Though most Hopkinton residents voted to support an official ballot referendum form of government, or SB2, on the school district side, the vote failed to get a three-fifths majority, and was therefore rejected.

On Election Day, Tuesday, March 13, residents voted 807-803 in favor of SB2 on the school side and 900-714 against it on the town side.

Town

For the Hopkinton Board of Selectmen, Chairman Louise Carr lost re-election with 542 votes to Tom Congoran, 918 votes, and Scott W. Flood, 791 votes for the other open seat.The seat was vacated by Clarke Kidder, who decided not to run for another term. Joanie McIntire trailed with 780 votes.

“What I'm looking forward to doing is learning a lot. I come from the world of business. So this is new to me,” said Congoran. “I’m very pleased to have an opportunity to help out the town. I think it’s going to be a lot of work, but Hopkinton is a great town,” said Flood. “I think I can bring a more businesslike approach to managing the town – cost-control techniques and management devices – to help move the town forward.”

“I have a lot of experience working with large numbers of people. The town seems to want to change, and that's good.”

George W. Chase, 964 votes, and Holly Gagne, 973 votes, beat Beth Taylor, 635 votes, for two three-year library trustee seats.

On the budget committee, Chairman Karen Irwin, Daniel Coen and Patrice Gerseny all won three more years running unopposed.

Sue B. Strickford ran unopposed and won re-election as town clerk/tax collector, as did trustee of the trust funds, Chairman Richard Gourley for three years.

Sharon C. Baker assumed a one-year term as supervisor of the checklist and Patricia C. Smith won a three-year term as cemetery trustee.

School District

Arpiar Saunders decided not to run for a fifth consecutive term on the Hopkinton School Board, choosing instead to run for school treasurer.

Saunders lost his bid for a one-year term as district treasurer to incumbent Arnold Coda, by a 854-662 vote. Coda will begin his ninth term as treasurer.

“I can not only do the job as required by statute, but I will also continue to make recommendations as I see necessary,” said Coda.

Taking Saunders’ vacated seat on the school board was David Luneau, who beat Peter B. Yunich and Marion L. Paxton, 843-389-291, respectively.

“I think we’re looking for a way to continue to improve the quality of education in Hopkinton while also being mindful of the tax burden on taxpayers, and just finding cost-efficient ways to meet the educational goals of the community,” said Luneau. “I’ll be looking to work more closely with members of the community to bring in the best ideas to meet these goals.”

Charles Dibble, who ran unopposed, won another year as school district moderator, as did Sue Batchelder for a one-year seat as school district clerk.