Every vote did indeed matter in Marion’s town election on Friday as School Committee incumbent Michelle Ouellette lost her seat to fellow incumbent Christine Winters by a margin of one. The Board of Selectmen remains unchanged while incumbent Steve Cushing fended off challenger Dale Jones by 76 votes.

Marion voters overwhelmingly welcomed newcomer Kate Houdelette to the School Committee. The Lockheed Martin analyst and mother of two girls who currently attend Sippican School garnered 593 votes.

Winters is a long-time member of the School Committee’s budget sub-committee and is proud of her work there. She cited a recent decision that changed how the school handled sick time as a “private sector approach that was a ‘win-win’ for the town employees.”

By lowering that cost she said the school was able to focus on education. Winters’ two children have graduated from Sippican School, but she said she’s interested in maintaining the quality of education there. She kept her seat with 480 votes.

Ouellette – an educator with children in Sippican School and the Junior High School –  garnered 479 votes. A volunteer at St. Gabriel’s Church and full-time educator, Ouellette said she was devoted to improving the education for all students in town. Prior to her time on the School Committee, she was a member of the School Council for two years. It’s unknown if Ouellette will contest the result.

Ouellette was one of two incumbents sent home in the election.

Planning Board member Ted North earned a low of 425 votes in that board’s race. Three challengers ­– Michael Popitz, Rob Lane, and Eileen Marum – are now Planning Board members with votes of 582, 635, and 513, respectively. Last year, North sought a seat on the Board of Selectmen alongside Dale Jones and incumbent Jon Henry.

This year, incumbent Steve Cushing faced a challenge from Jones. Cushing held onto his seat by a vote of 473 to 397.

Uncontested races for the Board of Health, Town Moderator, Tree Warden and Town Clerk were all won by the incumbents.