Thank you to everyone in Andover, Danbury, and Salisbury that voted either by absentee ballot or in person in the Primary. For those who wanted to vote by absentee, it is great. As a sign-holder in these three towns, I was thrilled to see the great numbers vote in person. The number of voter totals was also up.
There was a statement, in a letter-to-the-editor in the September issue of the Andover Beacon, expressing the belief that this Washington administration intends to restrict our right to vote by sabotaging the Postal Service; then another letter trying to blame the Trump Administration for slow mail. Let us set the record straight and use some common sense.
The Postal Service has plenty of money, and no one is trying to take out machines to slow down mail-in voting in states that have the election run that way. Over the years, the amount of mail being sent has decreased immensely across this country. Internet has provided this. There is less and less mail being sent all the time. During COVID-19, transportation almost came to a halt, with airplanes and ground transportation slowed. These are some of the real reasons mail is slower.
I am so happy to see internet into rural areas is going forward and that Danbury is one of the first towns receiving the Federal funds to go ahead. Even though the State Rep had a hand in helping, which any State Rep would gladly do, the real thank you goes to the Danbury Broadband Committee, who have worked tirelessly since their start in 1986. This Committee spent years with never giving up, and all their hard work has paid off.
Finally, we need to thank Governor Sununu with the granting of the money to have internet finally become a reality in Danbury. This internet service will provide all kinds of new opportunities to the town. We all need to work to make sure all rural areas in New Hampshire have sufficient broadband.
On another note, in case you have heard gossip, on Friday, September 4, I was reading The Andover Beacon and articles by Lee Wells, Moderator. Where Monday was Labor Day and offices closed early Tuesday morning, I delivered a letter to the Andover Select Board requesting that Lee Wells be disqualified as Moderator.
The letter was as follows: “I am asking that Lee Wells be removed as moderator for the Primary election, today, September 8, 2020 and the November 3, 2020 election as her husband, Kenneth Wells is a candidate listed on the ballot running for State Representative, District 1. The reason for the request is that Lee Wells being the moderator and Kenneth Wells being a candidate creates a conflict of interest.”
What the Select Board did or is planning on doing for the November 3 election, I don’t know. If you read New Hampshire law, a moderator has control over the whole election and the total authority over absentee ballots. I am hoping the Town will do the right thing and remove the conflict of interest.
Finally, I have learned so much being a candidate, and the best part is meeting people of Andover, Danbury, and Salisbury. The negative of being a candidate is how “party pacs” come after you, and they don’t know you, and the information being sent out are absurd statements.
It happened two years ago to me, and I kept the card. A postcard was sent to some voters in this area from a New Hampshire Leadership Committee in Concord. I am very much against this and hope someday we can change it. I also believe it will happen again in the next few weeks. If you receive negative mail with absurd statements against me, please let me know: 648-2510 or l.a.andrus21@nullgmail.com, and I will set the record straight.
Whether you vote by absentee ballot or in person, please vote. Voting is a right and we should all take advantage of that right on Tuesday, November 3. See you at the polls!