In Marblehead’s municipal election Tuesday, voters overwhelmingly rejected both School Committee incumbents, supported the longtime town clerk and elected newcomers to the Board of Health and Select Board.
Voters also approved two debt exclusion overrides — raising taxes temporarily — to repair the high school’s leaky roof and renovate the Mary Alley Municipal Building.
At 39.4%, turnout was high for a municipal election, with 6,574 votes cast out of 16,675 registered voters in Marblehead. In last year’s municipal election, only 19.9% of registered voters cast ballots.
The races
School Committee challengers Kate Schmeckpeper (with 4,800 votes) and Henry Gwazda (4,332) trounced incumbents Sarah Fox (649) and Alison Taylor (789). Challenger Emily Dejoy came in third with 1,586 votes.
Schmeckpeper and Gwazda ran campaigns focused on change, good governance and supporting educators.
“I think voters are ready for change, and they’re ready to see a School Committee focus on its primary areas of responsibility, which is what I’m interested in doing,” Schmeckpeper told the Current Tuesday night.
“Right out of the gate, I’d love to start looking for better legal counsel and begin getting students involved — I’ve already been talking to them,” Gwazda said. “I’m also going to reach out to the other members of the School Committee to let them know I’m excited to work with them.”
The Marblehead Education Association — the teachers union — released a statement late Tuesday reading, “Today, our community voted for change. Change that began over a year ago, when educators in Marblehead started having honest, courageous conversations with families, neighbors and the community about what our schools truly need and what they’ve been missing. We spoke about the lack of leadership and transparency on the School Committee. We stood together to demand better for our students, staff and schools. And today, the voters responded.”
The statement continued: “This is more than a shift in representation. It is a step forward in restoring trust, respect and responsible leadership in our schools.”
Town clerk
Robin Michaud was re-elected as town clerk with 3,361 votes, capturing 54.4% of the vote in a landslide victory, defeating challengers Terri Tauro, 1,966 votes and Melissa Flanagan, 848 votes.
Michaud received more votes than her two challengers combined and won by a margin of 1,395 votes. An 11th-generation Marbleheader, Michaud has been town clerk since 2007. She has modernized election systems, introduced digital tools and emphasized operational stability throughout her 24-year municipal career.
“Thank you, everyone,” Michaud said after her victory. Asked about her goals for the next three years, she answered, “Keep doing what we’re doing.”
Michaud is now gearing up for a special election July 8 on an MBTA Communities Act referendum.
This year’s town clerk race was the first contested election for the position since 2016, when Michaud narrowly defeated Sally Sands by 129 votes.
During this election cycle, Michaud highlighted her certification as a Massachusetts municipal clerk and her record of administering more than 45 elections, registering more than 2,000 births, deaths and marriages, issuing more than 60,000 dog licenses and processing 24 years of town censuses.
Select Board
Engineer Jim Zisson defeated municipal attorney Yael Magen with 66.9% of the vote, 4,030 to 1,992, in the closely watched Select Board race.
Zisson, who sits on the Town Charter Commission, launched his campaign last fall focusing on fiscal responsibility, transparent governance and preserving Marblehead’s historic character. He succeeds board member Bret Murray, who did not seek reelection.
“First, I’d like to recognize Yael’s hard work and energetic campaign, and I am truly humbled by today’s vote,” Zisson told the Current. “I pledge to make all my decisions in the best interest of the town and look forward to the next three years.”
Magen, who entered the race in the spring, centered her campaign on financial efficiency, hybrid meetings and local control. She co-sponsored the July 8 referendum aiming to reverse Town Meeting’s approval of 3A.
Board of Health
Dr. Amanda Ritvo, a family medicine physician, beat Kim Crowley, who owns a local fitness business, for an open seat on the Board of Health. The vote count was 3,972 to 1,992.
“I’m grateful for the support and trust the community put in me,” Ritvo said after learning the results while at the field house at Marblehead High. She was there with her husband and two young children.
“I’m coming in with the right intentions, to use my background to interpret data and support science-backed policies to keep everyone as healthy as possible.”
Ritvo will replace Helaine Hazlett, who decided not to run again after serving nearly 30 years on the BoH.
Planning Board
In the Planning Board race, incumbent Edward Nilsson retained his seat with 57.8% of the vote, 3,345 to 2,440, defeating challenger J. Timothy Swigor.
Nilsson, a Marblehead architect, emphasized his decades of experience guiding responsible growth while protecting the town’s historic character. He has been instrumental in initiatives such as Smart Growth guidelines, the Coastal Overlay Shoreline District and site plan review, and supported the town’s compliance with the MBTA Communities Act adopted at the 2025 Town Meeting.
Swigor, a 21-year Marblehead resident and owner of Old Town Antiques who chairs the Board of Registrars, entered the race amid growing community debate over state-mandated multifamily zoning. He advocated for fresh leadership, more public input and opposition to “as-of-right” development under the MBTA Communities Act.
Ballot questions
Voters overwhelmingly supported the two ballot questions totaling $14.35 million to repair Marblehead High School’s leaky roof and renovate the Mary Alley Municipal Building. The combined debt exclusions will add approximately $117 annually to tax bills for median-priced homes for the next 20 years.
The $5.75 million Mary Alley building renovations passed 4,060 to 1,842, with 68.8% support. The project includes roof replacement, ADA-compliant bathrooms, elevator, HVAC system and safety upgrades, adding $49 yearly to median homeowner tax bills for 20 years. Town Meeting approved this override 671-103.
The $8.6 million MHS roof and HVAC replacement passed by a larger margin, 4,406 to 1,566, capturing 73.8% of votes. The project is set to begin in the summer of 2026 and adds $68 annually for 20 years to median homeowner tax bills. Town Meeting approved the override 804-282 on May 6.
Finance Director Aleesha Benjamin told Town Meeting that despite the new projects, overall tax bills for median-priced homes should drop $5 yearly because debt from the MHS construction project 20 years ago is finally paid off.
Cemetery Commission
Gerald “Jerry” Tucker Jr. defeated Rose Ann Wheeler McCarthy for a three-year seat on the Cemetery Commission, earning 3,156 votes to McCarthy’s 1,860.
The Select Board and Cemetery Commission had appointed Tucker last October to fill a vacancy created by resignations. His prior experience, including nine years on the Recreation and Parks Commission, combined with his decades of civic involvement and professional background in finance made him a consensus choice among town officials during a time of tension following the resignation of former commissioners Pam Peterson and Janet Merrill.
Here’s a gallery of photos from Election Day
Editor Leigh Blander is an experienced TV, radio and print journalist.
