The Island will see another contested select board race later this spring with two candidates vying for a seat on the Aquinnah select board. 

Jannette Vanderhoop is challenging incumbent and sitting board chair Tom Murphy at the May 16 town election. 

Mr. Murphy was elected in 2021, edging out Adrian Higgins for a seat when six-term selectman Jim Newman opted to not run for reelection. He had previously served on the planning board, the finance committee, the lighthouse committee and as the veteran service agent, all of which he felt helped with his first term on the board.

“In the three years I’ve served, I learned that experience matters,” said Mr. Murphy, an attorney.

Ms. Vanderhoop, a professional gardener and artist, was the Aquinnah Cultural Center program director, ran the Vineyard Artisans Festival and sat on the ACEMV board. She said she was running in order to give back to the community.  

“I love this town. I think we have the best community of year round people,” she said. “We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world and I want to protect it and have people enjoy it.”

The candidates are set to talk about their campaigns at a League of Women Voters forum on April 24.

The May election has several other uncontested races. Incumbent Sarah Thulin is running for a spot on the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission, Kathy Newman is running unopposed for the board of health and Kayla Darcy is running for town clerk. 

There were no nomination papers returned for a planning board seat, two constable positions and a library trustee.