By Beth David, Editor
Fairhaven will hold its annual election on Tuesday, 6/9/26. All elected offices will be on the ballot, including Town Meeting members by precinct. Voters will also face three ballot questions. Polls are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. All precincts vote at the Fairhaven Recreation Center, 227 Huttleston Ave. (near Stop & Shop).
If you are unable to vote on election day, you may vote in-person using an absentee ballot in the Town Clerk’s office during regular business hours. Town Hall is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday; 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Friday.
For more information, call the Town Clerk’s office, 508-979-4023. Sample ballots and other information are available on the Town Clerk’s page on the town’s website: https://fairhaven-ma.gov/elections-and-voting/
For Select Board, three candidates are vying for two three-year seats: Miles F. Grant, Pamela Rogers Kuechler, Richard Francis Trapilo.
For Planning Board, three candidates are vying for two three-year seats: Kevin D. Grant (incumbent), Sharon Marie Simmons Clancy (incumbent), Mona Freedman Phillips.
The Planning Board also has an unexpired term on the ballot, with two years left to serve. Two candidates are vying for that seat: Jennifer Isabel Cardoza and Andrew C. Panek.
The rest of the offices have no contested seats. School Committee has two candidates for two three-year seats: Erik W. Baumann and Donna LS McKenna. School Committee also has an unexpired term with one year left to serve. Michael Justin Sherman is the only candidate for that seat.
The Board of Public Works has two seats and two candidates for three-year terms: Brian Russell Wotton (incumbent) and Marcus David Ferro.
Board of Health has one three-year seat on the ballot with incumbent Justine Frezza running for re-election; Commissioner of Trust Funds has one three-year seat with incumbent Louise M. Ponte running for re-election; Housing Authority has one five-year seat on the ballot, with newcomer Jacob Tyler Galary on the ballot.
Ballot Question #1 asks voters to decide if the Fairhaven police offers and Fairhaven firefighters should be removed from Civil Service. Both unions voted to revoke Civil Service as part of contract negotiations and it passed at the annual Town Meeting in 2023. To be enacted, a town-wide vote is required.
Question #2 asks voters if the town will be allowed to assess an additional $649,178 in property taxes. Propostion 2 1/2 limits the town’s ability to raise property taxes more than 2.5% overall. A town-wide vote is required to override Prop. 2 1/2. The additional revenue would restore the Tourism Department, which would be completely eliminated otherwise; restore one of two highway department positions that have been cut; restore some overtime funding for the Fire Department; restore several teachers, programs, and give the school department enough funding to be more comfortably over Net School Spending, which is the amount required by the state.
The town’s website has a tax calculator for property owners to see how much the increase for their property. The average increase for a $450,000 home would be $72/year. Visit https://fairhaven-ma.gov/fy2027-budget-information/
Question #3 asks if the town should adopt a town Charter that was approved by Town Meeting last year.
The Charter clarifies the roles of the Select Board and Town Administrator; changes number of Planning Board members from eight to nine, the number of School Committe members from six to five.
See the 5/21/26 issue for a story on the ballot questions; and Fairhaven TV. com for a video.
Visit https://fairhaven-ma.gov/2026-election-information/ for a summary and explanation of each question.
The town also had two candidates nights, one by the League of Women Voters (see 5/14/26 issue) and one by the town’s government access TV (see page 7). Both are available on demand at www.FairhavenTV.com. Links are also on the town’s website https://fairhaven-ma.gov/2026-election-information/
Each candidate also had the opportunity to record a statement with FairhavenTV. Find the link at FairhavenTV.com or https://tinyurl.com/4x2ef4rh.
Candidates also had the opportunity to submit statements to the Neighb News. See our 5/7 issue for the Select Board candidates; see 5/14 for Planning Board; 5/21 for School Committee.
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