In Kingston, Massachusetts, Selectmen Chairman Josh Warren and Selectman Elaine Fiore are facing a recall election on June 27. Both officials became the subject of a recall campaign stemming from their official response to an incident that occurred in January 2020 between another selectman and a town employee. Recall supporters, led by Kingston resident Peter Boncek, accused Warren and Fiore of nonfeasance and an inability to act in the best interests of their constituents. Warren responded that the board had launched a fact-finding inquiry into the January incident and hired an independent investigator who ultimately found both of the involved parties were at fault.

The recall effort was launched in January 2020 and petitioners successfully collected enough signatures to meet the required threshold of 20% of the town’s registered voters. On February 26, the Kingston Board of Registrars certified 2,053 signatures on Warren’s petition and 2,073 signatures on Fiore’s petition. After neither official resigned from their position, the Kingston Board of Selectman scheduled the recall election for June 27 to coincide with Kingston’s annual town elections.

In this case, the officials subject to a recall election are permitted to run in the replacement election for their seats in the event they are recalled. Both Warren and Fiore chose to run, so challenger Richard Arruda is facing Elaine Fiore in the replacement race for her seat, and challenger Kimberley Emberg is facing Joshua Warren in the replacement race for his seat.