HARPSWELL — The deadline is next week to return nomination papers for two open seats on the Board of Selectmen.

Papers for candidates for a three-year term and a one-year term are due at town offices by 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25.

As of Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 17, a former candidate for the board was the only person to file papers for the seat being vacated by Selectman Elinor Multer, who announced in October that she will not complete the final year of her three-year term.

Incumbent Selectman Kevin Johnson was the only person to have taken out and returned papers for the seat he now holds. If he wins re-election, he would serve a second, three-year term on the board.

Board of Selectmen candidates must live in Harpswell and be at least 18 years old. To appear on the ballot they must submit nominating petitions with at least 25 but not more than 100 signatures from registered town voters.

Ellen Shillinglaw has returned papers to complete the final year of Multer’s term. Former Selectman David Chipman has taken out papers, but has not returned them.

Chipman served on the Board from 1999-2002, and ran unsuccessfully against Multer in 2009. Chipman is chairman of the Planning Board and a member of the Water Tower Task Force.

Shillinglaw is a member of the Board of Appeals and the Town Lands Committee. In 2013, she unsuccessfully ran for the board in a three-way race for a seat won by Selectman Rick Daniel. 

Voting will take place at Town Meeting on March 11.

Voters will also have a chance to fill two open seats on the SAD 75 Board of Directors. Only incumbent board member Alison Hawkes had taken out papers by Tuesday afternoon.

Hawkes, a former town selectman, was appointed to the board in August to complete the remainder of a term vacated by Sara Clemens, who resigned last summer.

Callie Ferguson can be reached at 781-3661, ext. 100, or cferguson@theforecaster.net. Follow Callie on Twitter: @calliecferguson.

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