Whately Elementary School Committee seat remains in limbo following election

Whately resident Neal Abraham checks in to vote and greets Assistant Town Clerk Jessica Murphy at Whately Town Hall on Tuesday.

Whately resident Neal Abraham checks in to vote and greets Assistant Town Clerk Jessica Murphy at Whately Town Hall on Tuesday. FOR THE RECORDER/LILLIAN HENDEL

Whately resident Neal Abraham votes at Whately Town Hall on Tuesday.

Whately resident Neal Abraham votes at Whately Town Hall on Tuesday. FOR THE RECORDER/LILLIAN HENDEL

Whately’s town election took place at Town Hall on Tuesday.

Whately’s town election took place at Town Hall on Tuesday. FOR THE RECORDER/LILLIAN HENDEL

By CHRIS LARABEE

Staff Writer

Published: 06-12-2025 12:10 PM

WHATELY — With every race uncontested, there were no surprises in Tuesday’s annual town election, although the future Whately Elementary School Committee member has yet to be decided as several folks each received two write-in votes.

Voter turnout was roughly 9.3%, as 114 of the town’s 1,220 registered voters participated in the election, according to Town Clerk Amy Lavallee.

The three-year seat on the Whately Elementary School Committee saw no ballot candidates, but attracted a bevy of write-in candidates. Nine people received one write-in vote, while Ann Lomeli, David Theoharides and Amy Schrader all received two write-in votes.

With the results tied, Lavallee said the Selectboard and School Committee will have to appoint someone, though whether that person is one of the write-in candidates or someone else entirely is up to the two boards. Whoever is appointed will serve until the 2026 election.

The full results are as follows:

■Moderator, one-year term — Nathanael Fortune, incumbent, 99 votes.

■Selectboard, three-year term — Julianna Waggoner, incumbent, 102 votes.

■Town clerk, three-year term — Amy Lavallee, incumbent, 98 votes.

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■Whately Elementary School Committee, three-year term — Nine people with one write-in vote, three people with two write-in votes.

■Assessor, one-year term — Michael Husted, 105 votes.

■Assessor, two-year term — Jane Theoharides, 105 votes.

■S. White Dickinson Memorial Library trustee, two seats with three-year terms — Robert Smith, incumbent, 87 votes, and Ann Lomeli, 42 write-in votes.

■Constables, two seats with three-year terms — Thomas Mahar, incumbent, 98 votes, and Don Bates, five write-in votes.

■Cemetery commissioner, three-year term — Neal Abraham, incumbent, 111 votes.

■Board of Health, three-year term — Michael Archbald, incumbent, 108 votes.

■Water commissioner, three-year term — George Bucala Jr., incumbent, 110 votes.

■Elector Under Oliver Smith Will, one-year term — Keith Bardwell, incumbent, 107 votes.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.