Stoughton 2017 Recall Election Voter's Guide

STOUGHTON, MA — It's not often that there's a big election in December but voters in Stoughton will have to decide Tuesday if they want to keep three members of the board of selectmen or let the challengers join the board.

The Stoughton Recall Election is set for Tuesday, Dec. 5. Selectmen David Sousa, Robert Cohn, and Peter Brown are the targets of the recall effort. The affidavit calling for their removal reads that the men failed to uphold the town charter and laws of the Commonwealth, failed to properly evaluate the town manager, refused to allow public comment and treated the public and other board members with disrespect, and exposed the Town to liability

The recall effort gained steam following the ousting of former Town Manager Michael Hartman, who was told in December that his contract would not be renewed after it expired on June 30. A Norfolk Superior Court judge recently ruled that the six-months notice was sufficient and the formal discharge hearing laid out in the town charter was not necessary.

Here's what you need to know about Tuesday's vote.

The Candidates

The Term That Expires In 2018

• Robert Cohn (Incumbent)
• Stephen Cavey

The Term That Expires In 2019

• Peter Brown (Incumbent)
• Richard Hill

The Term That Expires In 2020

• David Sousa (Incumbent)
• Christine Howe

The Ballot

Three individual races will make up the ballot. In each race, the voter will be asked if they are for or against the recall of the selectman in question. Then, no matter the choice for the first question, voters will then choose a candidate in the race. This process will take place for all three selectmen facing a recall.

Here's what the ballot looks like:

Polling Locations
The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Here's a list of polling locations.

• PRECINCT 1 - Dawe Elementary School, 131 Pine St.
• PRECINCT 2 - Jones Early Childhood Center - 137 Walnut St.
• PRECINCT 3 - South Elementary School, 171 Ash St.
• PRECINCT 4 - Gibbons Elementary School, 235 Morton St.
• PRECINCT 5 - Gibbons Elementary School, 235 Morton St.
• PRECINCT 6 - Hansen Elementary School, 1800 Central Street
• PRECINCT 7 - West Elementary School, 1322 Central Street
• PRECINCT 8 - O'Donnell Middle School, 211 Cushing Street

If you are unsure where to vote, click here to find your polling location.

The Debates

Still undecided? SMAC's Definitive Debates are available for online viewing and feature four debates. Click here to watch the debates.

The Results

Check back with Stoughton Patch after the polls close for the results and coverage of the recall election.