Good morning, Hopkinton! Welcome to the daily update we call Hopkinton Today — a quick recap of yesterday’s news, highlights of what’s on tap, and a photo of the day.

Most candidates unopposed for this year’s Town Election

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

The candidate list for this year’s Annual Town Election has been set, with 14 residents vying for a total of 15 open board and committee vacancies.

There are two contested races this year — one for the School Committee and the other for the Board of Health. On the School Committee, incumbent Kyla McSweeney will try to hold onto one of the two seats up for grabs this year against Sandra Irwin and Sravana Krishna.

Incumbent Nasiba Mannan faces a challenge from Dimitry Zuckerman for the one available seat on the Board of Health. Mannan currently acts as chair, taking over last year after Richard Jacobs decided to step away from the board after two terms.

Amy Ritterbusch is running unopposed for the Select Board, seeking a third term.

There is no official candidate for the open constable position.

The majority of candidates for this year’s election are Democrats. One candidate is Republican, and another is listed as unenrolled.

In an email, Hopkinton Democratic Town Committee chair Amy Groves offered thanks to all the candidates who volunteered to serve the town by putting their names on the ballot. “Filling our local ballot is more important than people realize,” she stated.

Groves also wanted to share concerns about write-in races, stating that a winning candidate may not have been vetted thoroughly by voters. If the person is “wholly unsuitable” for the role, it would take a recall to remove them.

“The discontinuation of local caucuses leaves us with no way to fill these empty spaces on the ballot late in the election season, so we will always have this vulnerability,” she stated. “It’s definitely something I worry about.”

Town Clerk Connor Degan noted in an email to the Independent that there is a possibility that write-in candidates will run.

When asked about this year’s elections, Hopkinton Republican Town Committee chair Jim Mirabile kept his remarks brief, noting that he wished more Republicans would run for office. “It’s disappointing that we don’t have more people running to help manage our town,” he said.

Other candidates this year include: Adam Munroe for Board of Assessors (three-year term, one open position); incumbents Warren Carter and Jessica McCaffrey for Board of Library Trustees (three-year term, two open positions); Regina Miloslavsky for Cemetery Commission and Commissioners of Trust Funds (both three-year terms with one open position for each); John Morris for Housing Authority (five-year term, one open position); Brad Fenn and Lynn Taylor for Parks & Recreation Commission (three-year terms, two open positions); and incumbent Robert Benson and Brian Johnson for Planning Board (five-year term, two open positions).

The Annual Town Election will be held May 18 at Hopkinton Middle School’s Brown Gym.

— NICK SCHOFIELD

Latest News

Hopkinton firefighters tackled a brush fire on Hayden Rowe Street Tuesday afternoon that likely was impacted by high temperatures.

Fire crews from Hopkinton and Westborough extricated an injured passenger from a truck involved in a crash on Interstate 495 on Tuesday.

A former collegiate track and field athlete, Delaney Mick will tackle the longest distance she’s ever run as she hits the Boston Marathon course this year.

Mitch and Drew Riesenberger are making the Boston Marathon a family affair as they run for the American Liver Foundation and Hopkinton Little League.

Hopkinton resident Sonal Ambwani is fulfilling a long-awaited dream this year by running her first Boston Marathon.

The annual basketball game between the local Special Olympics program and the Hopkinton Police Department was held Saturday at the new Hopkins School gym, and we have photos.

The next Artful Connections on Tuesday at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts will feature a panel discussion hosted by athletes with disabilities.

Town meetings tonight include the Housing Authority (6) and Trails Committee (7).

Photo of the Day

Hopkinton Fire Department personnel get served at the Hopkinton Scouts Troop 4 pancake breakfast Saturday morning at St. John’s Parish.

PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO