Marshfield Registrars Continue Eric Kelly Recall Hearing to May 29 Without Ruling

MARSHFIELD — May 22, 2026 — Marshfield's Board of Registrars continued a recall objection hearing against Select Board member Eric Kelly to May 29 without issuing any rulings. The three-member board — Chair Walter Sterling, David Kohler, and David O'Reilly participating remotely — heard nearly five hours of legal arguments from four objectors who each contended the recall petition blanks are invalid because Town Clerk Norris Casper omitted the required town seal, signature, and date stamp from the petition sheets as required by Section 8-1-2 of the Town Charter. Casper testified she deliberately withheld the town seal, saying she did not want to imply official town endorsement of the recall, and acknowledged that a batch of 50 petition blanks was distributed without her signature or date stamp at all. Attorney Richard Ash, representing petitioners Lara Brate and Sean Costello — who appeared in person and were questioned under oath — argued under 950 CMR 55 that clerical defects do not invalidate certification and that 3,877 verified signatures were collected lawfully. The registrars voted unanimously to reconvene May 29 at 9 a.m. for line-by-line signature review, with objectors instructed to submit any formal subpoena requests to the clerk by 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27.