Politics & Government

Library Trustee Candidate Takes 'Last-Minute' Campaign to the Street

Timothy Hughes showed "how bad" he wants to win by campaigning outside The Center at Medfield during Monday's Town Election.

Despite low voter turnout and lack of candidates for town office this election season, one man took his campaign efforts to the corner of Ice House Road in hopes of winning the Town Election's only contested race: Library Trustee. 

“I asked my neighbor, ‘should I really stand out there today,’ and he said ‘how bad do you want to win?’” said Library Trustee candidate Timothy Hughes, bundled up in front of the Center at Medfield Monday during Town Election day. “I do really care about the library so here I am, freezing cold, the wind is brutal and at one o’clock I’m going in and getting some soup.”

Temperatures have stayed in the mid to high 30s for most of the day with wind gusts up to 13 mph, according to Medfield Weather. These conditions can make standing outside holding a sign a difficult task.

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“I think it’s important to show people since I am running for Library Trustee that I really care,” Hughes said. “I know there’s pretty low voter turnout but you know, what the heck, I’m all in. This is the last day I can campaign.”

Hughes is running against Lauren Feeney and Fred Rogers for two open seats on the Library Trustees, a position Hughes wants to win “badly.”

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“I love the library and care so much about it,” said Hughes. “The library is what I know.”

Hughes said he originally didn’t plan on running for one of the vacant seats until he spoke with library director Deborah Kelsey and the library’s staff.

“I volunteer over at the library now and they [the staff] encouraged me to run,” Hughes said.

Since the decision was made, Hughes has been “low-level” campaigning around town, doing the “little things” to get exposure and encourage residents to vote for him.

“A couple of weekends, my wife and I and one of my neighbors stood out and held a sign,” Hughes said. “I definitely made some phone calls [Sunday] because we figured that was the best way to target at least a few friends, people we knew would likely come out and vote.”

Hughes said he was surprised of the process behind running for a Library Trustee seat.

“I was surprised that we had to file financial reports and I didn’t want to spend very much money so it’s all the little things you can think of,” Hughes said. “Just putting signs on my car and things like that.”

And standing in the cold for two to three hours, holding a sign on Election Day.

“Thank you to all those who voted for me,” Hughes said.

The polls are open at the Medfield Senior Center on One Ice House Road until 8 p.m.


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