Letter: Mr. McDaid got it wrong on Portsmouth water board election

Posted 7/11/17

To the editor:

Often I find myself in agreement with (John) McDaid’s positions, but his recent letter to the editor (Portsmouth Times, July 6) on contested elections was so far off the mark …

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Letter: Mr. McDaid got it wrong on Portsmouth water board election

Posted

To the editor:

Often I find myself in agreement with (John) McDaid’s positions, but his recent letter to the editor (Portsmouth Times, July 6) on contested elections was so far off the mark I have to reply.

He and I do agree that contested elections are best for our community. But we strongly disagree that the Portsmouth Fire and Water Board election for clerk was in any way a properly contested election. 

The write-in candidate, who Mr. McDaid promoted in his blog during the election, was not motivated to take the time to get the mere 50 signatures needed to be put on the ballot. The write-in candidate did not make any effort to let the voters know who she was or describe her platform. 

This write-in campaign seemed to be merely a tantrum thrown in an attempt to punish Mr. Driscoll because he had been appointed to the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission (AIPC) board two nights before, and she was not. For some reason, she seemed to believe she was entitled to that position. 

The Portsmouth Town Council thought Mr. Driscoll was the better candidate. Due to AIPC pursuing Island Water projects and Mr. Driscoll’s vast experience with our town’s water issues, I would agree with the council. 

When it comes to community elections, proper decisions can only be made by the voters if the candidates truthfully inform the community of their motivations and their platforms when they make the decision to run. 

The fire and water board clerk election was a low turn-out election because the Portsmouth residents believed it was uncontested. Starting or supporting a late, secret, underground write-in campaign to subvert such an election, is not the sort of activity that benefits our community in any way.

Tom Grieb

110 Thayer Drive

Portsmouth

letters, opinion, Portsmouth Water and Fire District

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