WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — Hartford will hold a special election in August to fill vacancies on the Selectboard after two members resigned last month.
The election will be held on Aug. 10 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., during which residents can vote on candidates for the remainder of a two-year term ending in 2023 and for the remainder of a three-year term ending the same year. Selectboard members approved the election date at a meeting Tuesday night.
The election is expected to cost the town between $6,000 and $7,000, Town Manager Tracy Yarlott-Davis announced at the meeting.
No candidates have been formally announced, but candidate petitions are due to the town clerk by July 6. The ballot will be available to the public on July 21, and residents can come into the clerk’s office to cast a vote anytime between that date and election day in August.
The election was planned after former Selectboard member Julia Dalphin, who was elected in March, stepped down last month saying her busy work schedule has hindered her ability to serve on the board. Her announcement followed an earlier resignation in May by former board member Rachel Edens, who cited health issues in a resignation letter to the town.
Initially, Selectboard members announced a plan to appoint new members in Dalphin and Edens’ places, as they did following resignations last year.
But, Yarlott-Davis said at the meeting that a Hartford resident had alerted officials to a town charter rule that stipulates a special election must be held following two or more vacancies on the board.