Massachusetts: Two Winchendon Selectmen facing recall threats

Two Winchendon Selectmen, Keith Barrows and Robert O'Keefe, are facing recall threats over their support for the Town Manager, who survived a vote to fire him (the vote was 3-2 to fire, but they needed 4 votes). A former Selectmen Larry Sordoni is leading the charge, claiming the Manager has mismanaged town finances.

Petitioners would need 314 signatures (5% of the registered voters); and then would need 940 signatures (15%) to get on the ballot. They would then need at least 1254 votes total (for and against) to make the vote legal. Since the re-election is in May and there is a 6 months grace period at the end of a term when no recall can be held, petitioners have only two months to get on the ballot.

Both O'Keefe and Barrows were elected in a recall vote.