GLOCESTER – One of six Republican candidates in the race for a seat on the Glocester Town Council will be eliminated in primary election to be held on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
Five will move on to the General Election in November, where they’ll face another challenge from two more town council candidates who have registered as independents.
Of those currently serving on the five-member board, only Stephen Arnold has opted not to seek reelection. Arnold has served two terms since he was first elected in 2020.
For those seeking information on the candidates, we’ve pulled together what’s publicly available as well as statements published by the contenders themselves below.
Hoping to secure a seat are newcomers Stephanie Calise, who works as a project manager for an insulation and energy company, according to her campaign information. Calise, who grew up in Foster, has lived in Glocester since 1998. A graduate of Ponaganset High School and Rhode Island College, Calise has also completed some master’s level coursework at the University of Rhode Island. She has served as a coach girls softball with Glocester Little League, a Brownie Troop Leader, and a PTO volunteer coordinator for Fogarty Memorial Elementary School. Calise has also served as vice chairperson of the Ancients and Horribles Parade Committee and as a member of the Community Resource Commission.
Another political newcomer seeking a seat on the board is Matthew Verrier. A former Coventry resident, Verrier has lived in Glocester since 2021, and is the president of Midnight Fuel Oil Inc. His campaign platform notes that he is, “family focused and community driven.”
Incumbents hoping to retain their seats include Jonathan Burlingame, a lifelong Glocester resident who previously served in the U.S. Navy. Burlingame has a bachelor’s degree in business management from Rhode Island College and has spent the last 27 years working for a big box retailer in several different management roles. He served on the Glocester School Committee for six years before his election to the Town Council in 2022. In his campaign, he has emphasized the need for experience and knowledge to be successful on the board and has endorsed fellow incumbents William Worthy and Walter Steere.
Cheryl Greathouse, a local small business owner, was also first elected in 2022. A town resident for more than 40 years, Greathouse has worked with the Glocester Food Pantry, the Ancients and Horribles Parade Committee as town council liaison, and is the current chairperson of the Glocester Republican Town Committee. In her campaign statement, she has emphasized transparency and accountability in government, responsible budgeting and thoughtfully managed growth.
The council’s longest serving member, Walter Steere, also hopes to retain his seat. A member of the Glocester Town Council for more than 15 years, Steere has emphasized the need for board members willing to bring serious commitment and hard work. He is supporting fellow incumbent Republicans Burlingame and Worthy in their re-election bids.
William Worthy, who currently serves as Town Council president, is the co-owner of town-based business Big Bear Hunting and Fishing. He has served on the council since he was first elected in 2020.
The elimination contest will mark the first time in decades the town holds a primary for Republicans running for Town Council. The top five vote-getters will move on to the General Election to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5, where two additional candidates will appear on the ballot, independents Gregory Gabel and Mark Howard.
All registered Republicans and unaffiliated residents are eligible to vote in the primary and early voting has already begun at Glocester Town Hall at 1145 Putnam Pike on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Monday, Sept. 9.
To check a registration status, find a polling place and view a sample ballot visit https://vote.sos.ri.gov/.
