MARBLEHEAD — Unofficial results in the town’s annual election were finally posted at Abbott Hall Wednesday morning after officials were forced to hand-count ballots from across six precincts when polling locations ran out of ballots Tuesday.
The only results available were those of the ballots from Precincts 2 and 3 that could be machine scanned – a tally of 1,522 ballots. Many races have yet to be called as officials waited for mail-in ballots to trickle in, but unofficial tallies provided a clear indication of where races were likely headed.
Only one of two ballot questions put to voters this year won approval — with Question 1, an override for a five-year, $12.5 million road and sidewalk management program, passing with roughly 60 percent yes votes, and Question 2, Proposition 2 ½ tax override to provide an extra $3.1 million to the town’s School Department budget, being struck down by a nearly 2-1 margin. (Proposition 2 ½ is a state law that limits the amount of property tax revenue a community can raise through real and personal property taxes).
All five of the town’s incumbent Select Board members, Jackie Belf-Becker, Moses Grader, James E. Nye, Erin M. Noonan, and Alexa J. Singer, won re-election — withstanding challenges from James Full and Bret T. Murray. A similar result played out in the race for Board of Health director, with Helaine Hazlett defeating challenger Thomas McMahon.
In the race for the School Committee, Incumbent Sarah Fox secured another three-year term, while Alison Taylor topped Reece Dhalberg for the second seat on the committee.
The narrowest margin of victory in the annual election was that of Jean-Jacques Yarmoff over Incumbent Water Homan for one of two seats on the Municipal Light Commission. Yarmoff currently holds a 19-vote lead over Homan. The other spot on the commission went to Incumbent Michael Hull, who received the most votes of all three candidates.
Pam M. Peterson defeated Rose Ann McCarthy in the race for a one-year position on the Cemetery Commission by more than 1,000 votes.
In the race for town moderator, John “Jack” Attridge defeated Matthew Wolverton.
The remainder of the races — including those of town clerk and Parks and Recreation Committee — were uncontested.
Anthony Cammalleri of the Item staff contributed to this report.
Charlie McKenna can be reached at [email protected].
