Cape Cod MPO establishes slate of nominees for four subregional seats; absentee ballots due Nov. 9

The Cape Cod Metropolitan Planning Organization on Monday voted to establish a slate of nominees for four subregional representative seats, subject to staff confirmation and with absentee ballots to be submitted before Nov. 9.

Steven Tupper of Cape Cod Commission staff read nominations submitted by select boards and individuals, including Mary Jane Mastrangelo and Edward Zielinski for Subregion A; Peter Q. Smith and James Plath for Subregion B; Kevin Galligan for Subregion C; and Art Autorino for Subregion D. "We'll reach out to each of the nominees…and then distribute the ballot via email to each of the individual select board members in those subregions," Tupper said.

Harold Mitchell moved to establish the slate as read; Judith McLeod Froman seconded. A roll-call vote followed and the motion passed. Tupper said staff will accept absentee ballots via mpo.election@capecodcommission.org and that ballots must arrive before Nov. 9; voting will take place at the MPO meeting on Nov. 20 or by absentee submission.

The slate-setting action was procedural: it establishes candidates for balloting rather than filling seats immediately. Staff emphasized that the slate is contingent on nominees' confirmation and that select board members will cast individual ballots, not collective board votes.

Next steps: staff will confirm each nominee's willingness to appear on the ballot, publish the slate on the Cape Cod Commission/MPO website, distribute ballots by email, and report results at the Nov. 20 meeting.