Newcomers Meagan Bennett and Jennifer Kulak won seats on the Rochester School Committee in Wednesday's election, ousting six-year veteran Tim Scholz. Former School Committee Chair Michelle Cusolito did not seek reelection.

Bennett and Kulak were elected with 165 and 212 votes, respectively. Cheryl Hebert garnered 127 votes. Scholz, with 159 votes, failed to hang onto his seat.

Both winners said they were ready to start working on the committee.

"I want to thank all of those who have supported me and have confidence in my ability to impact the Rochester Memorial School community in a positive way," Kulak said. "I am excited to assume my position on the board and get to work."

Bennett echoed the sentiment.

"Thank you to all the townspeople who voted for me and to the families that placed signs in their yards supporting me," Bennett said, adding that the previous board members put a lot of time into the position.

"Michelle Cusolito and Tim Scholz are incredibly dedicated individuals who worked very hard to support our school.  I hope to pick up where they left off and get right to work," she said.

The other contested race pitted former Board of Health Chair Sandra Keese against William Souza. Keese earned 170 votes to Souza’s 185.

Selectman Richard Nunes was reelected to the board with 315 votes. He didn’t face a challenger, but Nunes could be seen waving to voters on Dexter Lane where several campaign signs were set up. Sixteen write-in votes were cast in the Selectmen race.

The shake-up at the School Committee and Board of Health proved to be the excitement in an otherwise sleepy election.

“It’s been a very slow, very quiet day,” Town Clerk Naida Parker said.

According to Parker, of the town's 4,092 registered voters, only 402, or 10 percent, cast ballots on Wednesday.

“It’s not a great percentage, but it will do,” Parker said.

Parker said she uses the number of absentee ballots cast before the election to predict what turnout will be on Election Day. This year 10 or 11 absentee ballots were cast, which is an “unusually low” number according to Parker.