
Marblehead’s 2023 municipal election was held on Tuesday, June 20.
Here’s a quick-reference guide, complete with links to relevant Current stories, editorials and letters to the editor, plus video clips from League of Women Voters of Marblehead‘s candidate forums, recorded and edited by MHTV.
Click here to check whether you’re registered to vote, or enter your street address here to find out where to vote.
Here’s a specimen ballot, so you can see what it looked like.

PROPOSITION 2 1/2 OVERRIDE BALLOT QUESTION – REJECTED
On Tuesday, May 2, Town Meeting approved a nearly $2.5 million general tax override of Proposition 2 1/2, which will appear on the June 20 ballot. Town Meeting passed the override with 70% of vote, 534 to 230. Here is the town’s FAQ and budget summary, the Current’s reporting on the topic and our override calculator.
- EDITORIAL: On override, a qualified ‘yes’ (June 7, 2023)
- MHTV Headliner: Discussion Proposition 2 1/2 Override / Ballot Question 1 (June 12, 2023)
- Town of Marblehead Override Frequently Asked Questions (June 2023)
- Town of Marblehead FY24 Budget Summary (June 2023)
- In Select Board field, Nye stands alone as ‘no’ on override (May 24, 2023)
- Parent group pushing for $2.5 million override (May 23, 2023)
- $2.5M general override heads to ballot after 70% vote ‘yes’ at Town Meeting (May 3, 2023)
- To override or not to override (Letter to the Editor, June 12, 2023)
- A hard pill to swallow (Letter to the Editor, June 12, 2023)
- Override calculator: Enter your property value using the slider below to see what your additional tax burden would be in annually in year one, quarterly in year one and annually over 10 years. Scroll within the tool to see all the data.
SELECT BOARD – Five seats open, one-year term
Six candidates for the Select Board are battling over five seats. All five incumbents are running, and former Select Board member Bret Murray of Abbot Street is hoping to unseat one of them.
WATCH: May 23 League of Women Voters Candidates Forum, Select Board clip (courtesy of MHTV)
- Jackie Belf-Becker (incumbent)
- Moses Grader (incumbent) – ELECTED
- Bret Murray – ELECTED
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Shift the select board’s balance of power (Letter to the Editor, June 12, 2023)
- Erin Noonan (incumbent) – ELECTED
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Return Erin Noonan, Alexa Singer to Select Board (Letter to the Editor, June 6, 2023)
- Shift the select board’s balance of power (Letter to the Editor, June 12, 2023)
- Jim Nye (incumbent) – ELECTED
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- In Select Board field, Nye stands alone as ‘no’ on override (Current story, May 24, 2023)
- Alexa Singer (incumbent) – ELECTED
- Current Candidate Q & A Response
- Return Erin Noonan, Alexa Singer to Select Board (Letter to the Editor, June 6, 2023)
- Shift the select board’s balance of power (Letter to the Editor, June 12, 2023)
SCHOOL COMMITTEE – Two seats open, three-year term
There is a four-way race for two open seats on the School Committee. Candidates include incumbent Sarah Gold, Paul Baker of Overlook Road, former Glover School principal Brian Ota of Merritt Street and former School Committee member Jennifer Schaeffner of Casino Road.
WATCH: May 23 League of Women Voters Candidates Forum, School Committee clip (courtesy of MHTV)
- Paul Baker
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Support for Baker, Gold in June 20 election (Letter to the Editor, June 16, 2023)
- Paul Baker is the real deal (Letter to the Editor, June 16, 2023)
- Baker would bring level-headedness, open mind (Letter to the Editor, June 16, 2023)
- Statement from the Candidate
- Marblehead SEPAC Candidates’ Interviews: Baker (June 2023)
- Sarah Gold (incumbent)
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Support for Baker, Gold in June 20 election (Letter to the Editor, June 16, 2023)
- Gold deserves another term (Letter to the editor, June 12, 2023)
- Support Sarah Gold for School Committee (Letter to the Editor, June 7, 2023)
- Marblehead SEPAC Candidates’ Interviews: Gold (June 2023)
- Brian Ota – ELECTED
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Statement from the Candidate
- Ota has strong record of service (Letter to the Editor, May 22, 2023)
- Marblehead SEPAC Candidates’ Interviews: Ota (June 2023)
- Jennifer Schaeffner – ELECTED
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Statement from the Candidate
- Voting for Schaeffner and YES on 1! (Letter to the Editor, June 9, 2023)
- Jenn Schaeffner is a proven leader (Letter to the Editor, June 12, 2023)
- Advocating for accountability, zero-based budgeting (Letter to the Editor, June 16, 2023)
- Marblehead SEPAC Candidates’ Interviews: Schaeffner (June 2023)
BOARD OF HEALTH – One seat open, three-year term
Thomas McMahon of Gregory Street, Thomas Massaro of Lafayette Street and former Board of Health member Dr. David Becker (Todd’s father) of Nonantum Road are all running. McMahon ran unsuccessfully against Helaine Hazlett in 2022.
WATCH: May 23 League of Women Voters Candidates Forum, Board of Health clip (courtesy of MHTV)
- Dr. David Becker
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Becker has ‘a known track record of civility’ (Letter to the Editor, June 9, 2023)
- Dr. Thomas A. Massaro
- Thomas McMahon – ELECTED
MUNICIPAL LIGHT COMMISSION – One, one-year seat open; one, three-year seat open
The Marblehead Municipal Light Commission has a three-year term and a one-year unexpired term that voters will need to fill. Incumbent Lisa Wolf will face former light commissioner Walter Homan of Haley Road for the three-year term. Homan lost to Light Commissioners Jean-Jacques Yarmoff and Michael Hull in a close race in 2022. As for the one-year, unexpired term, interim Light Commissioner Adam Smith and Nathanael Burke of Mitchell Road will compete for it. The Select Board and Light Commission selected Smith to fill the vacancy created when Karl A. Johnson resigned his seat following the June election, citing health reasons.
WATCH: May 23 League of Women Voters Candidates Forum, Municipal Light Commission clip (courtesy of MHTV)
- Walter Homan – running for three-year term
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Vote Homan, Burke for Light Commission (Letter to the Editor, June 16, 2023)
- Lisa Wolf (Incumbent) – running for three-year term – ELECTED
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Lisa Wolf For Light Commission (Letter to the Editor, June 5, 2023)
- Return Smith, Wolf to Light Commission (Letter to the Editor, June 5, 2023)
- Statement from the Candidate
- Nathanael Burke – running for one-year term
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Why I am running for Marblehead Light Commission (Letter to the editor, June 12, 2023)
- Burke’s dedication is unparalleled (Letter to the Editor, June 12, 2023)
- Vote Homan, Burke for Light Commission (Letter to the Editor, June 16, 2023)
- Adam Smith (Interim Incumbent) – running for one-year term – ELECTED
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Statement from the Candidate
- Return Smith, Wolf to Light Commission (Letter to the Editor, June 5, 2023)
- Light Commissioner Adam Smith has the insight and skills we need (Letter to the Editor, May 25, 2023)
ABBOT LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES – Two seats open, three-year term
Two Abbot Public Library Board of Trustees seats with three-year terms are open in the election. Incumbent Gary Amberik faces newcomer Katherine Barker of Locust Street and Marblehead’s perennial candidate Rose Ann Wheeler McCarthy of Hewitt Street.
WATCH: May 23 League of Women Voters Candidates Forum, Abbot Library Board of Trustees clip (courtesy of MHTV)
- Gary Amberik (Incumbent) – ELECTED
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- Outgoing library trustee thanks Marblehead community (Letter to the Editor, May 23, 2023)
- Katherine Barker – ELECTED
- Rose Ann Wheeler McCarthy
RECREATION AND PARKS COMMISSION – Five seats open, one-year term
Five, one-year terms are open on the Recreation and Parks Commission. Four of the five Commissioners are running for re-election. Newcomers Shelly Bedrossian of Jersey Street and Larry Simpson of Rowland Street are vying for the seat left open by longtime Commissioner Derek Norcross, who did not seek re-election.
WATCH: May 23 League of Women Voters Candidates Forum, Recreation and Parks Commission clip (courtesy of MHTV)
- Shelly Bedrossian – ELECTED
- Karin Ernst (Incumbent) – ELECTED
- Questions from the Current: Candidate Responses
- An Endorsement For Karin Ernst (Letter to the Editor, June 5, 2023)
- Karin Ernst ‘best individual’ for Rec and Parks Commission (Letter to the Editor, June 15, 2023)
- Rossana Ferrante (Incumbent) – ELECTED
- Linda Rice Collins (Incumbent) – ELECTED
- Matthew Martin (Incumbent) – ELECTED
- Larry Simpson
UNCONTESTED RACES
Barring the world’s greatest write-in campaign in the history of Marblehead, the following individuals have been elected to their positions by virtue of running in uncontested races:
- Jack Attridge – Town Moderator (one-year term) – ELECTED
- Theresa Tauro – Housing Authority (to fill the remaining years of a two-year term) – ELECTED
- John Kelley – Assessor (three-year term) – ELECTED
- Robin Michaud – Town Clerk (three-year term) – ELECTED
- Pam Peterson – Cemetery Commission (three-year term) – ELECTED
- Thomas Carroll – Water & Sewer Commission (three-year term) – ELECTED
- Barton Hyte – Water & Sewer Commission (three-year term) – ELECTED
- Marc Liebman – Planning Board (five-year term) – ELECTED
- Robert Schaeffner – Planning Board (five-year term) – ELECTED