Hauling in almost two-thirds of the votes, Tisbury selectman Tristan Israel won a fourth term in Tuesday's annual town election.

Mr. Israel easily outdistanced his two challengers with 636 votes. Jamie Douglas trailed by a sizable margin, garnering 176 votes. Constance (Connie) Teixeira placed third with 141 votes.

Turnout amounted to 37 per cent of the registered voters — 964 of the 2,591 eligible voters in town cast ballots.

Voters in Tisbury also gave the green light for the purchase of an $800,000 aerial ladder fire truck. The tally on that override question was 614 to 304.

By a vote of 613-274, voters expressed their displeasure with the federal Patriot Act, saying they don't like the surveillance, search and seizure and detention provisions of the law.

In the race for selectman, Tisbury voters threw their support behind the political veteran.

"Voters have recognized the positive advancements of the town over the past number of years," Mr. Israel told the Gazette on Wednesday.

"I am gratified by the support and trust the community has placed in me," he continued. "I will continue to do what I can to involve the whole community in the decision-making process."

Mr. Israel ran a low-key campaign that stressed fiscal responsibility and the accomplishment of a new wastewater system built within budget. He also put the affordable housing issue at the top of his priority list, citing his work to revive the town's resident homesite committee.

Mr. Douglas, son of the Black Dog Tavern founder Robert S. Douglas, ran on a pro-business platform, urging economic rejuvenation through deregulation.

He did not return a telephone call from the Gazette seeking comment. But while Mr. Douglas failed in his bid for selectman, he did win a place on the planning board with seven write-in votes. That was a one-vote margin of victory. Robert Aldrin came away with six write-in votes.

Mr. Douglas also ran for selectman last year, but was defeated by incumbent Raymond LaPorte, 416-216.

Ms. Teixeira told the Gazette yesterday that she will run again for an office in Tisbury. "I will find another position in town for my niche," she said.

In her platform, she hammered at the theme of lack of participation in Tisbury government.

"I appreciate the privilege of being able to run," she said. "I'm hopeful other people will start to get involved in town government. If my run for selectman accomplished that much, then it was a success."

In other contested races in town, the three incumbent library trustees all won reelection. They are Dorothy Campbell with 644 votes, Nina Garde with 498 votes and James Norton with 559 votes.

Edged out of the six-way race for five seats on the finance and advisory committee was Earl Honey. Newcomer Noreen Baker made a strong showing with 505 votes and joins incumbents Donald Amaral (605 votes), Bruce Campbell (489 votes), Robert Franklin (535 votes) and Denys Wortman (614 votes), who all won reelection.

The results of uncontested races were as follows:

Barbara Fortes, 720 votes for another term on school committee; Elmer Silva Jr., 717 votes for another term as water commissioner; Barbara Lewis Howell, 641 votes for a two-year term on the board of library trustees; Ken Garde, 632 votes for board of health; Margaret Warnke, 543 votes for a term on the planning board; Frederick Thifault, 687 votes for a term on the public works commission.