OPINION | Chris McCarthy: Fred Kalisz Wins the Election

Former New Bedford Mayor Fred Kalisz was appointed Bristol Register of Deeds last year by the County Commission to fill out the term of Register J. Mark Treadup. Mr. Treadup resigned early due to a medical condition.

Many lobbied the County Commission for the appointment to the job. The salary is fantastic and the workload is light, compared to most elected positions. The hours and paycheck for city council members and selectmen are below the minimum wage in Massachusetts.

The Register of Deeds also has a six-year term, so the constant campaign to raise money and win votes is also removed. And nobody calls the Register of Deeds about barking dogs and potholes on a Sunday afternoon or a Friday night.

Nobody is challenging Kalisz this year, so he will be the winner in November.

If someone does have nomination papers, it’s a secret, and that secret won’t secure 1,000 qualified signatures by May 1. The Office of Campaign and Political Finance has only Kalisz as an active candidate in the race, and nobody is actively running a campaign against Kalisz.

Since losing the mayor’s race to Scott Lang in 2005, Kalisz has gone on to receive his doctorate from Northeastern University. He previously earned a Master’s and Bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts. He was a city councilor for years before beating Mayor Rosemary Tierney. Dr. Kalisz served the city as a hands-on mayor, overseeing thousands of employees and hundreds of millions of dollars.

Smart politicians understand how their voters think, and act accordingly. Dr. Fred Kalisz is running unopposed because his potential opponents are smart politicians. They looked at his experience, education, and ability to gather votes, and decided the voters would go with him and not them.

Chris McCarthy is the host of The Chris McCarthy Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Contact him at chris.mccarthy@townsquaremedia.com and follow him on Twitter @Chris_topher_Mc. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.