Political newcomer Emma Green-Beach and incumbent Jason Balboni were elected to the Oak Bluffs select board Thursday, solidly outpacing Rich Michelson in the three-person race.
According to the unofficial vote tally, Ms. Green-Beach was far and away the top vote-getter, receiving 555 votes. Mr. Balboni received 406, and Mr. Michelson received 259. The top two vote getters were elected.
Total turnout was 714 ballots cast, according to town clerk Colleen Morris, who read the results with an excited Ms. Green-Beach in the background, a short time after the polls closed at 7 p.m.
“I’m thrilled,” Ms. Green-Beach said after the unofficial results had been tallied. “It’s been incredible. I’m inspired by the outpouring of support . . . so much more so than I expected.”
A seat on the five-person board opened up when longtime selectman Greg Coogan announced that he would not seek re-election earlier this spring. Ms. Green-Beach and Mr. Michelson then entered the race to face off against one-term incumbent Mr. Balboni.
The executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, Ms. Green-Beach, who is 37, grew up on the Island and attended the regional high school before leaving for college. She is married with step-children and a four-year-old.
Ms. Green-Beach had no political experience before her decision to run for selectman, telling the Gazette in an interview that she had long wanted to take on a larger role in the community that she had always called home.
Mr. Balboni, 49, is a businessman who was chairman of the town’s finance committee before he won his first term as a selectman three years ago.
Mr. Michelson, 69, is a retired EMT who has previously served on the Martha’s Vineyard Airport Commission.
All three candidates campaigned gingerly, cognizant of the pandemic, replacing the usual meet-and-greets and door-knocking with mailers or Facebook groups. Yard signs — including Ms. Green Beach’s handwritten ones — speckled the town.
But all three were at the town library on election day Thursday, greeting a steady stream of voters as they filed into the parking lot. Ultimately, it was Ms. Green-Beach and Mr. Balboni who won the day — just as rain started to come down at the end of it.
“I’m excited to just do my best, and learn from the other members of the board,” Ms. Green-Beach said. “It was a pleasure running and learning with both the other candidates.”
“Onward through the fog,” she added.
Mr. Balboni, who was also present for the vote reading, thanked the townspeople for re-electing him to a second term.
“I just want to thank the voters of Oak Bluffs for giving me the opportunity to serve for another three years,” he said. “Now time to get working.”
After the votes were read, Mr. Coogan, who had served six terms on the board, shook Ms. Green-Beach’s hand and offered her his hearty congratulations, as well as some hard-earned wisdom.
“Remember, you’ll never get as many votes as you get the first time,” he said with a laugh.
Oak Bluffs also approved two capital exclusion ballot questions, one for $184,000 for school infrastructure upgrades, and the other for $73,000 to fund the purchase of electric school buses.
In West Tisbury, an annual town election with no contests saw an extremely light turnout of 97 voters, or just over 3.6 per cent of the 2,675 registered. Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter 3rd was re-elected selectman with 75 votes. There were no contested races in town.
In a second unusual year due to the pandemic, annual town meetings and special elections are scheduled for later in May and June, when voters in Island towns will take up the bulk of business, including Proposition 2 1/2 overrides.
Full Oak Bluffs results are included below:
Jesse B. Law was elected town moderator with 552 votes.
William A. White was elected to the town board of health with 529 votes.
Jesse B. Law was elected to the town cemetery commission with 515 votes.
Antone Lima was elected to the parks commission with 518 votes.
Erik R. Albert was elected to the planning board with 469 votes.
Kristine A. O'Brien was elected to the school committee with 493 votes.
Maura J. McGroarty was elected to the finance and advisory committee with 507 votes.
Richard D. Combra, 2nd was elected tree warden with 505 votes.
Cassandra Bowler was elected to the wastewater commission with 459 votes.
Nelson S. Oliver was elected to the water district commission with 512 votes.
Question 1 was approved with 446 yes votes to 235 no votes.
Question 2 was approved with 408 yes votes to 277 no votes.
Full West Tisbury results are included below:
Daniel A. Waters was elected town moderator with 87 votes.
Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter was elected town selectman with 75 votes.
Timothy A. Bartnett was elected to the board of health with 86 votes.
Michael Colaneri was elected to the board of assessors with 69 votes.
Tara Whiting-Wells was elected town clerk with 96 votes.
Jeremiah Brown was elected tree warden with 85 votes.
Robert J.P. Hauck was elected library trustee with 76 votes.
Lynn P. Hoeft was elected library trustee with 71 votes.
Gregory W. Orcutt was elected to the finance committee with 81 votes.
Catherine H. Minkiewicz was elected to the finance committee with 72 votes.
Lisa Amols was elected to the parks commission with 71 votes.
Jeffrey (Skipper) Manter was elected to the parks commission with 73 votes.
Timothy A. Barnett was elected town constable with 88 votes.
Updated to correct the total vote tally for Mr. Manter in West Tisbury.
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