Letter: Dalton Must Be Allowed to Vote

To the Editor:

On Jan. 18, a Friday evening, the Select Board was advised of a date error on the instructions only for the mail-in ballots for the Feb. 3 election.

On Saturday, Jan. 19 (after being advised by the town manager on Friday evening), Dalton Town Clerk Heather Hunt with the assistance of Patti Mele-Nichols — and at their own expense, including personally supplying USPS stamps — spent the day notifying in writing the 28 eligible Dalton residents (of which I am one) who had received the incorrect instruction sheet.

On Tuesday, Jan. 21, she will follow up with phone calls to fulfill any commonwealth voting requirements.

Our Dalton town clerk is to be commended for her swift and corrective action to ensure that the Feb. 3 election is appropriately and legally held.

The ongoing attempts to stall or stop this election must not prevail, and the people of Dalton must be allowed to vote on Feb. 3.

Rachel I. Branch
Dalton, Mass.

Dalton Elects Incumbents, Write-in for Planning Board

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
09:06PM / Monday, May 11, 2026

The last-minute write-in campaigns for Planning Board resulted in higher than normal write-in votes — 306 — for Monday's election. 

DALTON, Mass. — The unofficial results for the town's annual election indicate that Planning Board registered candidate William Striebel III and write-in candidate Richard Hall have secured the two seats.

 

Some 413 voters cast their ballots at the Senior Center on Monday. There were 82 mail-in ballots.

 

The Planning Board race began with just one candidate for the two available positions, leaving one vacancy initially unfilled, but as Election Day approached, two additional candidates launched write-in campaigns, transforming it into a competitive contest.

 

The Planning Board saw a significant number of write-in votes, totaling 306. Striebel secured 238 votes, Hall 163, and Mary Tresa Devereaux with 133. 

 

Both Hall and Devereaux have been endorsed by the Dalton Clear Air Coalition, of which Hall is a member, and Democratic Town Committee. 

 

Hall decided to run for Planning Board last Monday inspired by the Berkshire Concrete situation wanting to ensure that the company follows the town's zoning bylaws. 

 

"Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I look forward to helping the town. It's a privilege being on the Planning Board," he said.