Marblehead candidates spend little money on campaigns this spring

MARBLEHEAD – Only six of the 15 candidates in Monday?s contested town races reported campaign expenses so far this spring – and only one reported raising any contributions.The only candidate to seek contributions was School Committee candidate Thomas Connolly, who reported raising $850, including $500 from Revere resident Nikoly Polinookiy, $200 from Marblehead resident Andrew Perkins and $100 from former selectman Bill Purdin. Connolly reported spending $481 on signs and a website.Barton Hyte, who is also seeking a seat on the School Committee, donated $400 of his own money to his campaign and spent $355 on signs.School Committee incumbent Dick Nohelty, the third candidate in a three-way race for a single seat, recycled the signs from his last campaign. He said he raised and spent no money, like nine other candidates who signed a report stating that.In a first-time campaign for selectman, Bret Murray spent $455 of his own money on signs. In a first-time campaign for Recreation and Park Commission, Gerald Tucker spent $368 of his money on signs. Two weeks ago, Tucker found out that he is in an uncontested race when David Deutsch withdrew.Both candidates for a single seat on the Municipal Light Commission put up some of their own money to put up signs this spring. Incumbent Charles Phillips spent $317, while challenger John Arata spent $442.Two incumbent selectmen reported having campaign accounts. Selectman Jackie Belf-Becker had $333 in hers, while Selectman Judy Jacobi reported having $3,397. Neither one spent any money on re-election.The seven candidates for the five seats on the Board of Selectmen include Murray, former Selectman Harry Christensen, Cemetery Commission member RoseAnn Wheeler McCarthy and incumbents James Nye, Mike Rockett, Jacobi and Belf-Becker.The polls will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday. Precincts 2, 3 and 4 vote at Star of the Sea Community Center at 40 Atlantic Ave. Precincts 1, 5, 6 and 7 vote at the Marblehead Community Center, 10 Humphrey St.