Election Update: A Few New Candidates Take Out Papers as Filing Deadline Looms
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Some new candidates have taken out nomination papers over the past week producing a few more competitive races. Notably, incumbents Cathy Schoen (District 1) and Ellisha Walker (at large) have taken out papers. Newcomers Esther Azar and Andrew Hart have added their names to the School Committee race. Still, many of those running have taken out papers for several contests. Walker has also taken out papers for District 5 councilor and Azar has done so for District 1 and at-large councilor. Candidates will need to withdraw from all but one race by 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 2.
There is still no one challenging the incumbent Library Trustees, all of whom are seeking re-election.
All town-wide elected offices will be on the ballot in the November 4, 2025 election. These include:
10 District Town Councilors (two from each of five districts)
3 Councilors-at-large
5 School Committee members
6 Jones Library Trustees
3 Amherst Housing Authority Commissioners
1 Oliver Smith Will Elector
Nomination papers are available from the Town Clerk’s office and are due by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16. Any registered voter in the Town of Amherst can sign nomination papers. Voters may sign for as many different candidates as they wish, even for the same office. If voters sign multiple times for the same candidate, only one signature will be certified. The number of signatures required are 25 residents of the district for District Town Councilors and 50 Amherst residents for all other offices. As of Thursday, September 11, the following residents have taken out nomination papers. The Indy will continue to update this information weekly.
Councilor-At-Large (3 seats)
Esther Azar
Andrew Churchill
Charlotte Allegra Rice Clark
Mandi Jo Hanneke (incumbent): signatures submitted
Amber Lee Cano Martin
Dillon Maxfield
Ellisha May Walker (incumbent)
Lynn Griesemer and Jillian Brevik took out papers, but withdrew from contention.
District 1 Councilor
Esther Azar
Jillian Brevik: signatures submitted
Louis Conover: signatures submitted
Ndefreke Ette (incumbent): signatures submitted
Vincent O’Connor
Cathy Schoen (incumbent)
District 2 Councilor
Charlotte Allegra Rice Clark
Jason Michael Dorney: signatures submitted
Lynn Griesemer (incumbent): signatures submitted
Amber Lee Cano Martin
District 3 Councilor
Patrick Drumm
Heather Hala Lord (incumbent): signatures submitted
George Ryan (incumbent): signatures submitted
District 4 Councilor
Dillon Maxfield: signatures submitted
Pamela Susan Rooney (incumbent): signatures submitted
Jennifer Lynn Taub (incumbent): signatures submitted
District 5 Councilor
Ana Mary Devlin Gauthier (incumbent)
Samuel A. MacLeod: signatures submitted
Ellisha May Walker
School Committee (5 seats)
Esther Azar
Charlotte Allegra Rice Clark
Andrew Hart
Laura Jane Hunter
Bridget Hynes (incumbent): signatures submitted
Deborah Leonard (incumbent): signatures submitted
Sarah Marshall (incumbent): signatures submitted
Amber Lee Cano-Martin
Meghan Fitzgerald and Jillian Brevik withdrew.
Library Board of Trustees (6 seats)
Farah Ameen (incumbent): signatures submitted
Lee R. Edwards (incumbent): signatures submitted
Tamson Ely (incumbent): signatures submitted
Eugene Anthony Goffredo (incumbent)
Nathaniel Carl Larson (incumbent): signatures submitted
Austin D. Sarat (incumbent): signatures submitted
Housing Authority (3 seats)
Michael Burkart (incumbent)
Patricia L. DeAngelis: signatures submitted
Oliver Smith Will Elector (1 seat)
Judith Souweine (incumbent): signatures submitted.
Candidate statements will be published on the Town Bulletin Board on the town’s website no later than September 19. They are due by the nomination paper deadline. Those received after September 16 will be posted on the bulletin board within five days of receipt. As was the case with past elections, The Indy will pose a series of questions to candidates in contested races and post their answers in early October.
The last day to register to vote is Friday, October 24 by 5 p.m. in person or by midnight online.
Mail-in ballots will be available, but must be requested by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 28. In-person absentee ballots must be filled out at the Town Clerk’s office by 5 p.m. on Monday, November 3. Check your voter registration and precinct.
In-person early voting will be available in the first-floor meeting room at Town Hall, 4 Boltwood Walk, on the following dates. Note the extended hours on October 30.
| DATE | TIME |
| Monday, October 27, 2025 | 8:00a – 4:30p |
| Tuesday, October 28, 2025 | 8:00a – 4:30p |
| Wednesday, October 29, 2025 | 8:00a – 4:30p |
| Thursday, October 30, 2025 | 8:00a – 7:00p |
| Friday, October 31, 2025 | 8:00a – 4:30p |
The warrant for the election was approved at the August 18 Town Council meeting. It lists the voting sites for each precinct and is posted at various sites around town.