Charlestown opens candidate filing Jan 21 to 30 for multiple town offices

Charlestown is accepting declarations of candidacy from January 21 through January 30 for a slate of municipal offices that shape local budgets, land use and everyday services. The nine-day filing window covers contested and unfilled seats across boards and elected town positions, offering an opportunity for residents to shape policy in the year ahead.

The town notice posted on the Town of Charlestown website lists the open offices and the term lengths. Available positions include two 3-year seats on the Selectboard; two Finance Committee seats with one 3-year term and one 2-year term; one 3-year Town Clerk/Tax Collector seat; three 3-year Library Trustee seats; one 3-year Cemetery Trustee seat; two 3-year Planning Board seats; one 6-year Supervisor of the Checklist seat; one 3-year Trustee of Trust Funds seat; and one 3-year Treasurer seat.

Several of these offices have direct influence on key municipal functions. Selectboard members oversee municipal administration and agenda-setting for town meeting, and the two 3-year openings could alter the board’s dynamics. Finance Committee vacancies include both a longer 3-year seat and a shorter 2-year seat, which will affect long-term budget oversight as well as the continuity of fiscal review during annual budgeting cycles. The Town Clerk/Tax Collector role combines recordkeeping, elections administration and revenue collection, making the 3-year opening consequential for daily operations.

Openings for Library Trustees and the Planning Board can shape community character and services - library trustees steward programming and capital plans while planning board members influence land use approvals and zoning recommendations. The Cemetery Trustee and Trustee of Trust Funds oversee specific assets and endowments that matter to residents in practical and historical ways. The Supervisor of the Checklist seat carries a 6-year term and is central to voter rolls and election integrity.

The short filing period compresses the timeline for potential candidates to submit paperwork and for voters to evaluate choices before ballots are set. Interested residents should consult the Town of Charlestown website for the official notice and any instructions for filing a declaration of candidacy. Candidates will need to meet any statutory requirements for nomination and filing under New Hampshire law.

For Charlestown voters, this filing period is a moment to consider who will steer fiscal priorities, land use decisions and day-to-day municipal services. The outcome of these filings will determine contested races on the ballot and the composition of boards that govern local policy for the next several years.