FAQ&A

A combination of FAQ and Q&A.  Do you have a question that you want answered?

1. How can the vote01890 website be free?

We use free online website tools from google and video platforms such as YouTube. Local elected officials have a major influence on the town's policy and practice.  Sharing candidate information is so important because voters should know for whom they're voting.  Putting the content online is done by a team of volunteers on their spare time. 

2. Can I include music in my video statement?

Yes but please be aware that if you use copyrighted music in YouTube, YouTube may add advertisements to your video to pay the copyright owner. In many cases your video stays online. In general music could be a distraction from your message, but each candidate has to decide how to craft their own message.

Current Town by-laws are now online at https://winchester.town.codes/Code/3-1 

4. Isn't this a redundant (duplicate and wasteful) effort since there are existing candidate information platforms?

The more locations show useful information, the benefit is improved for both candidates and voters. So no, it is not a waste of effort to present information in more than one place since everyone has their own preferred source of information. Winchester LWV runs a candidate information program, the Chamber of Commerce has a member meeting for "meet the candidates" for some candidates, and other local groups run their debates, but none of these acknowledge other sources of information exist. Facebook pages for Winchester include Residents, Politics, and Conservatives, but many are not on FB. The hope is that Vote01890 can acknowledge a variety of sources of information (as long as they are not based on misinformation or prejudice), and let the voters make their own decision. 

If a candidate wished to use the same candidate statement across all of those platforms, that would be great. 

The town website is not allowed to post candidate statements since they amount to endorsing a candidate (this is what I've been told by many sources). 

5. How is WinCAM involved ?

Members of WinCAM can produce a program using equipment and assistance from staff. WinCAM also supports member projects including debates sponsored and run by the League of Women Voters and other local organizations. In this instance Vote01890 is a member led project and WinCAM has offered to assist as long as it does not interfere with necessary obligations such as broadcasting town government functions (Select Board and Committee meetings of special interest, sports, and other civic and community events). 

In past years WinCAM has recorded for broadcast longer videos for interested candidates, and this year their introductory letter is included below:

6. How can I get some help posting my profile?

If you missed the information session February 2, 2023 from 6pm to 7pm at WinCAM's offices on Swanton Street, send an email to vote01890@gmail.com .  Since this is an all-volunteer project, please try to do this as early as you can.

7. What about WRITE-IN candidates?

Even if you missed the official deadline for nomination papers and are not on the printed ballot, there are several write-in openings in the spring election:  

Housing Authority 

Planning Board 

TM Pct 2

TM Pct 4 

TM Pct 6 

Information about vacancies in town positions and write-in candidates:

A. If you do run as a write-in candidate, definitely notify the town clerk at townclerk@winchester.us so the election officials can credit you with a vote for you, even if people with bad penmanship write your name in the space. 

B. Remind your supporters to fill in the circle next to your name for write-in candidates. This helps the machine recognize that a write-in candidate should be processed. Without filling in the dot, it's possible the machine will not detect the written name.

C. Write-in candidates can call, knock on doors of their neighbors, send postcards, and otherwise campaign for their candidacy.  Hand out your material at candidate events such as the LWV forum at the  Jenks Center and Chamber of Commerce.

D. If a Town Meeting position remains open after the election, there is a "caucus" process to fill it as described in the town by-laws noted on the Election Information Document. prepared by the town clerk.   Under Winchester's Home Rule Charter, Article 2  Section 2.5(d) states:

Filling of Vacancies

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Any vacancy in the full number of town meeting members from any precinct shall be filled until the next annual town election by the remaining town meeting members from the precinct, from among the voters thereof.  The balance of the unexpired term, if any, shall be filled at such annual town election   

If more candidates wish to fill positions than openings at that time, a secret ballot is used to select the town meeting member.

Updated 2/28/2023