Andover News is introducing a new feature, Andover by the numbers.
Today’s numbers are … 75.53 and 19.
Those are the percentages of registered voters who cast ballots in Andover in last year’s elections – the November presidential and March town elections, respectively. That’s a fourfold difference, typical of a disparity experienced in most municipalities in voter participation rates in statewide versus local elections.
The 2025 Annual Town Election is Tuesday, March 25. Deadline to register is Saturday, March 15.
Town election turnouts fluctuate, usually based on the number and intensity of contested races. This year, there are four candidates for two School Committee seats, with incumbents Emily DiCesaro and Sandis H. Wright facing challengers Christopher C. Shepley and Jacob E. Tamarkin.
Incumbent select board members Melissa Morris Danisch and Alex J. Vispoli and Town Moderator Sheila M. Doherty are unopposed as are Punchard Free School Trustee candidate Steven R. Pekock, and Housing Authority board candidate Jennifer K. Hoenig.
In last year’s town election, 5,142 voters, about 19 percent, turned out to vote with multiple candidates contesting for two seats on both the Select Board and School Committee, according to figures on the Town Clerk’s web site. In contrast, only 2,138 voters, about 8 percent, cast ballots in the 2023 town election featuring contested races for moderator, a single seat on the Select Board and two trustees of the Punchard Free School.
Turnout percentages multiply and, in Andover, typically exceed statewide figures in partisan November state elections in even-numbered years. These elections feature more contests for state, congressional, and county offices and garner more attention through campaign spending, advertising, and broad media coverage.
In last fall’s presidential election, for example, 19,858, or 73.53 percent, of 27,008 eligible voters, cast ballots for president and vice president, US senator, representative in Congress, governor’s councillor, state senator and representative, county clerk of courts and register of deeds, and five ballot questions.
That ‘s higher than the statewide turnout of 68.3 percent, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. Similarly, in the 2022 state election, which featured races for governor and other state constitutional offices as well as congressional, state legislative and county office races, Andover’s turnout of 61.5 percent significantly exceeded the statewide figure of 51.4 percent.