Nahant incumbent selectman wins easy victory in only contest race

NAHANT-Selectman Michael Manning sailed to an easy victory over challenger Robert Scanlon in the town election on Saturday. Manning received 387 votes and Scanlon received 266 votes.This was the only contested race on the ballot and voter turnout was low this year. Of the 2,574 registered voters only 683 voted.Manning, who has been a selectman for 15 years, said he is pleased the voters have faith in his ability to continue representing them on the Board of Selectmen.?I’d like to thank the voters of Nahant,” he said. “I’m looking forward to continuing to serve the town.”Manning is a senior scientist with the Center for Advanced Microgravity Materials Processing, a NASA-funded Commercial Space Center at Northeastern University. He got involved in town politics in 1982 when he moved to town and volunteered to serve on a committee studying the future needs of town-owned buildings. He went on to serve on the Personnel Board, Finance Committee and has been a selectman since 1995.Manning said the town is running smoothly in a large part due to the efforts of Town Administrator Mark Cullinan.?We’re in relatively good shape,” he said.He added he is looking forward to the library expansion project and the Nahant Causeway renovation.