Some Volunteers Barred From Working Polls

A few residents who endorsed candidates before the March 13 election were not allowed to volunteer as ballot clerks at the Windham High School poll center.

One of those residents, State Rep. Mary Griffin, said that she has been serving off and on as a volunteer since 1972.

She endorsed several candidates before the election, including Shawn Foster, Paul Therrien, Carolyn Therrien, Walter Kolodziej and John Alosso.

She said she has endorsed candidates before, and there has never been a problem.

"I'm an ethical person, and always have been," Griffin said.

Town Moderator Peter Griffin said that he made his decision due to the tenor surrounding this year's election.

"I wanted to create the image that it was going to be a fair and impartial election," he said.

Mary Griffin said that a few who endorsed candidates this year were being kept from the polls while others were allowed to volunteer.

Peter Griffin clarified that those were actually elected officials, such as Selectman Kathleen DiFruscia, who endorsed a few candidates including fellow board members Roger Hohenberger and Ross McLeod.

"I cannot prohibit an elected official," Peter Griffin said.

He added that he understood that Mary Griffin was the most vocal about being kept out, but said that they had never spoken about it.

"I would have told her it's universal across the board," he said.

Peter Griffin said that there were a few people disappointed with his decision, but said that there is a policy that the election officials review protocol each year, and the rule could change back for 2013.

There was no RSA, according to Griffin, to keep him from making his decision.