Elected Officials Back Keller, Townson In Select Board Race

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If money talks, outgoing Andover Select Board members Annie Gilbert and Chris Huntress would seemingly like to see Ellen Keller and Ellen Townson take their seats.

Gilbert’s husband donated $250 each to Keller and Townson, who are two of the four candidates running for the seats she and Huntress are vacating by not running for reelection in the March 26 election. Huntress, meanwhile, donated $103 to Keller. The donations were disclosed in pre-election campaign finance reports released by the Town Clerk’s office Tuesday, which are embedded in their entirety below.

State Sen. Barry Finegold (D-Andover), donated $500 to both Keller and Townson, while his mother added $250 to the campaign coffers of each woman. Finegold declined comment Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the Andover Education Association, which represents Andover Public Schools’ teachers, spent $1,851 each in support of select board candidates Kevin Coffey and George Thorlin and school committee candidates Lauren Diffenbach and Shauna Murray. The union formally endorsed the candidates last month. By law, the union’s efforts cannot be coordinated with a candidate’s campaign.

Select Board Campaign Finance Reports At-A-Glance

School Committee Campaign Finance Reports At-A-Glance

The campaign committee of Tracey Spruce, who is not running for reelection to the school committee, donated $100 each to Susan McCready and Jayashree Mohandas. Spruce has previously voiced support for both. Finegold also made a $250 donation to the campaign of Mohandas.