Milton candidate filing season ends Jan. 2

Election season in Milton is now upon us.

Candidates for the Saturday, March 2 election must file by 5 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 2, at Town Hall.. Those elected would serve three-year terms. Three seats are up for grabs - those currently held by Mayor Ted Kanakos and councilmen Michael Cote and Sam Garde - and all three incumbents have filed for re-election.

To file, a candidate must be at least 21 years old, a legal resident of Milton for one year prior to the election and have never been convicted of a felony.

Anyone seeking to run must notify the town manager in writing and fill out an ethics form, as required in the town charter. The candidate must also file an electronic certificate of intention or create a candidate committee no later than seven days after declaring their candidacy. Those forms can be found on the town website under “Election Information.”

Of the incumbents, Kanakos, first elected in 2016, is seeking a second term as mayor if he chooses to run. He was elected to town council in 2015 before running for mayor. Garde, a Navy veteran, was appointed to council in 2014 to replace then-Councilman John Collier and won a first full term in 2016. Cote, council treasurer, was first elected to council in 2012 and is seeking his third term.

Residents can register to vote in the election until 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 1, at Town Hall. Town offices will also be open from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 19, and Saturday, Jan. 26, for voter registration.

To vote absentee, voters must pick up an affidavit at Town Hall and complete it by noon, Friday, March 1. Those who have completed affidavits will receive absentee ballots by mail through Monday, Feb. 25. After Feb. 25, absentee ballots must be picked up in person at Town Hall. Absentee ballots must be received by the close of polls at 6 p.m. on March 2.