MARION — Marion voters elected John Hoagland for one open seat on the Select Board, beating out opponents Cynthia Callow and Sean Sweeney with over 50% of the vote on Friday, May 16.

Additionally, two ballot questions regarding proposals for Marion Town House renovations and road and sidewalk repairs were both approved by voters.

Hoagland previously served on the Select Board in 1986, serving two terms starting at the age of 29. He now looks forward to returning to the position over 30 years later after receiving 521 votes.

“I got over 50% of the vote. That’s wonderful. We had a great team. We worked hard,” he said.

He returns to the position looking to prioritize road and sidewalk repairs and lower water and sewer rates for residents.

“That’s what I said I would do, and I’m going to start on Tuesday,” he said.

To all his voters and supporters, Hoagland said, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Callow, who received 138 votes, looks forward to running for Select Board again in future elections.

“Obviously, I’m a little disappointed. However, the experience was magnificent,” said Callow. “I really had a good time, and I hope to do better next time.”

She added that “the town is very lucky to have the people that ran for Select Board.”

Sean Sweeney received 259 votes and could not be reached for comment on the election results at the time of writing.

George “TJ” Walker suspended his campaign for the Select Board seat earlier this week, stating that he intends to prioritize the approval of his citizen petition rather than his Select Board candidacy.

"In terms of 2025, my energy went to the ballot initiative this year, and I'm certainly open to running again where I'll be able to put my full focus and effort. But today is a time to congratulate John on his win, and Sean and Cynthia for their thoughtful campaigns,” he said.

Ballot Question 1 regarded the town’s request for over $3.3 million in funding for Town House renovations, with 571 voters approving the project and 335 voters rejecting the proposal. $300,000 of funding will come from free cash, with the remaining balance obtained from borrowed funds. This will require a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion, temporarily raising each household’s taxes by approximately $64 per year until the project is complete.

Question 2 regarded Walker’s citizen petition which requested $2.7 million in funding for road and sidewalk repairs in Marion. 653 voters approved this proposition, with 261 voters opposing. The funding will come from $500,000 in free cash and $2.2 million in borrowed funds. This will also require a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion, temporarily raising household taxes by an estimated $48 per year until the project is complete.

The race for two seats on the Open Space Acquisition Commission ended in a close finish, with incumbent John Rockwell securing another term with 501 votes and Adele Sands earning a seat with 469 votes. Candidate Shaun Walsh narrowly lost, receiving 465 votes.

Marion voters were eager to partake in this year’s election.

20-year-old resident Nicole Gendron said this is her second time voting in the Marion election.

She pointed out that the deteriorating state of the roads are a major issue in town.

“I think a lot of people like to preach their opinions and complain but it won’t change if you don’t vote,” said Gendron.

Resident Debra Watson has lived in Marion since 1982 and participates in every election. She looked forward to voting for a new Select Board member and answering the two ballot questions.

“It’s important for our community. I always vote,”she said.

The uncontested Board of Assessors Race featured incumbent Peter Winters winning another term, as well as uncontested Board of Health incumbent Edward Hoffer obtaining another term.

Marion School Committee incumbent Nichole Daniel and Old Rochester Regional School Committee incumbent April Nye also secured another term in their respective uncontested races.

Planning Board incumbents Tucker Burr and Andrew Daniel also earned additional terms in their uncontested race.