MBTS Voters: It’s Bilotta, Sollosy, Spencer, Mitchell; "No" On Regional Dispatch Referendum

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There were three big drivers for voters at Tuesday's Manchester local election: School Committee, regional public safety dispatch, and the Select Board race.  And in the end, for the day’s 1,540 voters, it was the Select Board race that brought the drama.

First timer Catherine Bilotta won a three-year term on the Select Board handily, winning with 1,076 votes.  But in a squeaker, current Select Board Chair Jeffrey Bodmer-Turner lost his seat by the narrowest of margins—just one vote—to Brian Sollosy.  Tuesday night’s preliminary counts had Bodmer-Turner up by one vote, but by Wednesday morning, that had flipped.  Sollocy won with 700 votes, besting Bodmer-Turner by one vote.

Voter turnout was 35 percent of all registered voters in Manchester.

Then, in the highly-watched School Committee race, with five candidates vying for two seats, it was Erica Spencer and Anna Lin Mitchell who won seats with 1,042 votes and 718 votes, respectively.  

Voters also voted “No” on the non-binding referendum on whether regional public safety dispatch operations, with 854 Manchester voters saying "No" to regional dispatch and 635 saying "Yes."  The Select Board will officially take up the issue later this year.

In other election results, Mary Foley, Ronald Mastrogiacomo, and Laura Tenny won seats on the Planning Board.  Joseph Aiello and David MacDougall won Constable.  Eden Davis won Library Trustee.  Alan Wilson won Moderator. 

Finally, Craige McCoy’s successful write-in campaign for Housing Authority was notable, with McCoy grabbing more than 200 votes.

jeffrey bodmer-turner, brian sollosy, housing authority, catherine bilotta, anna lin mitchell, craige mccoy, erica spencer, joseph aiello, laura tenny, alan wilson, library trustee, constable, ronald mastrogiacomo, mary foley, david macdougall, eden davis