In Plymouth, County Commission Chairman Jared Valanzola is completing his first term, having won election in November of 2020, as a Commissioner from the town of Rockland. He has recently moved to Plymouth and is running for re-election as a resident of Plymouth. According to County residency requirements if elected, a person cannot reside in the same city or town as another County Commissioner. A complaint, questioning the residency of Valanzola, resulted in a hearing by the Board of Registrars on the 18th.
WATD’s Bobbi Clark has more….
Town Clerk Kelly McElreath:
“A complaint was filed with the Board of Registrars against the voter registration of a resident for the Town of Plymouth. And they filed some paper work that showed that there was a possibility that the person didn’t actually live in the Town of Plymouth.
So in an abundance of caution I reached out to the Board of Registrars, and we had a semi-hearing to take materials from both the complainant and the registered voters. We had this hearing that decided that the complaint was not valid and wasn’t sufficient, and we dismissed it.”
County Commissioner Jared Valanzola:
“The complaint indicated that I am not a resident of the Town of Plymouth and thus I should be disqualified from the Plymouth voter roll. My speculation is that it would then be an attempt to force me to not be able to run for office from the Town of Plymouth, but instead make me run from the Town of Rockland again, where I do not live anymore.”
Attorney Gerald McDonough, an election lawyer, representing Attorney Timothy Angley, who made the complaint questioning the residency of Jared Valenzola, responded in an email, and, in part, states: “Despite evidence presented disputing Mr.Valanzola’s contentions regarding his change of domicile, and a lack of evidence from Mr.Valanzola to support that change, other than limited evidence that we have not yet seen, the Board of Registrars accepted Mr.Valanzola’s statements regarding this intent to make Plymouth his permanent residence and his intent to make changes in documentation. We accept the Board’s determination.”
In Plymouth, Bobbi Clark, WATD News.
