Andover News provides town meeting and local election coverage free to all readers, regardless of subscription status. Please consider supporting local news with a paid subscription.
Election season is getting started early in Andover this year.
While the Town Election isn’t until March, five candidates — including two challengers for select board and one for school committee — have already pulled nomination papers signaling they plan to run, Town Clerk Austin Simko said Monday.
Annie Gilbert and Chris Huntress, the sitting select board members up for reelection in March, said over the weekend they have not decided whether they will run for reelection.
Kevin Coffey, who fell short in his bid to unseat incumbent Select Board Member Laura Gregory in the March election, and George Thorlin have withdrawn papers to run for select board. The March election was Coffey’s first time running for elected office. Thorlin is an Andover High School and Merrimack College alum who works in the health insurance industry.
Coffey said Monday he had submitted his nomination papers and the signatures had been certified, making him the first person on the ballot in the 2024 Town Election.
AHS Senior Wants To Run For School Committee
Chris Shepley is an Andover High School senior who pulled papers to run for school committee. School Committee Chair Tracey Spruce said Monday she had not made any decisions. Susan McCready, the other school committee member up for reelection in 2024, was not immediately available for comment Monday afternoon.
Incumbent Moderator Sheila Doherty is also running for election, while William Walsh will make a second run for the Punchard School Board of Trustees after losing to two incumbents in March. Eric Stubenhaus and Michele Karlberg are the Punchard Free School trustees up for reelection in March.
Former Select Board Chair Dan Kowalski, who has hinted he’s considering a run for select board, has not made a decision. “I think Kevin would be an excellent Selectman and I would love to work alongside him on the Select Board someday,” Kowalski said Monday.