DECISIONS ’26: Current Voters Guide

Each year, the Current provides a Voters Guide to help Marblehead voters make informed decisions at the spring election. This year, voters head to the ballot box on June 9 to decide several races, as well as four override questions. This guide is a living document and will updated up and through Election Day.

Live election results

On Election Night, click here to get live results.

Election ballot

Here is the ballot, released by the town on May 19.

MARBLEHEAD-June-9-2026-Sample-Ballot Download

OVERRIDE QUESTIONS

Voters will decide a three-year, three-tiered ($9 million, $12 million and $15 million) override (questions 1,2 and 3), along with a $2.3 million override to cover new trash costs (question 4).

The general (permanent) override features three tiers, aimed at 1) restoring some of the deep cuts to staff and services in the fiscal year 2027 budget, 2) rebuilding town programs and 3) investing in capital projects.

To figure out the tax impact on your home/property, use this calculator created by citizens group, For Marblehead.

The anti-override group Better Way Marblehead has also created a calculator, which incorporates the cost of trash collection, either by way of a quarterly fee or funded through the override embodied in Question 4 on the ballot. The Better Way Marblehead calculator also allows users to toggle on or off the effect of the expected annual 2.5% increases to the tax levy via Proposition 2 1/2.

Access the Better Way Marblehead calculator HERE.

And if you just can’t get enough of override calculators, the site Marblehead Data has also created one, which allows residents to look at the total cost over a five- or 10-year time span and see at a glance the financial ramifications of all the potential election outcomes. Access the Marblehead Data calculator HERE.

The town of Marblehead has also created a calculator, but you need to know your home’s assessment to use it. In addition to the town’s calculator, the town’s override page has a number of other resources, including presentations made on the budget. Access that HERE.

Here’s a look at what each tier includes:

Here is our coverage of Town Meeting’s vote to send the overrides to the June 9 ballot:

That’s a wrap: One-night Town Meeting sends override to June ballot – Marblehead Current

and the League of Women Voters Candidates Night:

Overrides, trust and town’s path forward debated at candidates forum – Marblehead Current

And opposition to Questions 1-3:

New group urges rejection of non-trash override questions, calls for special Town Meeting – Marblehead Current

And in-person early voting:

In-person early voting approved for June 9 override, election – Marblehead Current

OPINIONS on OVERRIDES

EDITORIAL: Vote ‘yes’ on 3 (and 1 and 2) – Marblehead Current

MARBLEHEAD MUSINGS: The overrides and 3A – Marblehead Current

CANDIDATES Q&As

SELECT BOARD, three candidates for two seats

Rossana Ferrante — Read her responses HERE.
Erin Noonan — Read her responses HERE.
Jenn Schaeffner — Read her responses HERE.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE, three candidates for two seats

Melissa Clucas — Read her responses HERE.
Sarah Fox — Read her responses HERE.
Ann-Marie Jordan — Read her responses HERE.

RECREATION & PARKS COMMISSION, six candidates for five seats

Shelly Bedrossian — Read his responses HERE.
Karin Ernst — Read her responses HERE.
Chris Kennedy — Read his responses HERE.
Ken Klaiman — Read his responses HERE.
Mike McCarthy — Read his responses HERE.
Larry Simpson — Read her responses HERE.

MODERATOR, two candidates for one position

Jack Attridge — Read his responses HERE.
Peter Jaffe — Declined to answer questions.

HOUSING AUTHORITY, two candidates for one position

Jean Eldridge— Read her responses HERE.
Jeffrey Weeden — Read his responses HERE.

CEMETERY COMMISISON, two candidates for one position

Rosemary McCarthy — Read her responses HERE.
Sally Sands — Read her responses HERE.

ELECTION-RELATED COLUMNS

GUEST COLUMN: ‘What voters should know before June 9’ – Marblehead Current

ELECTION-RELATED LETTERS

Ballot questions

SPECIAL THIS YEAR:
The Current has been running an in-depth series, Overriding Considerations, examining the town’s structural deficit, budget choices and override options. You can read those special reports here: OVERRIDING CONSIDERATIONS SERIES

PREVIOUS COVERAGE OF BUDGET, OVERRIDES: