CHESHIRE COUNTY, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Polls have closed across Cheshire County after a full day of voting in town and school district elections, along with decisions on dozens of warrant articles that will shape municipal budgets and local projects in the year ahead. More results are expected Wednesday as final tallies continue to be reported.
 
Several contested races and budget questions highlighted the night’s results.
 
Keene School District
 
Voters in the Keene School District approved the district’s $82.4 million operating budget.
They also adopted a district open-enrollment policy allowing a limited number of students from outside the district to attend several SAU 29 elementary schools.
 
Heather Gilligan, Jason Washer and Jennifer Friedman were elected to three-year terms on the school board. Gilligan and Friedman currently serve on the board. Casey Schmidl-Gagne finished out of the running.
 
Russell Denney was elected without opposition to a two-year term on the board.
 
Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District
 
In the Jaffrey-Rindge Cooperative School District, Alicia Vitello won a three-year seat representing Jaffrey on the school board with 913 votes. Jared Reini won the Rindge seat, defeating Angela May Johnson, who received 520 votes.
 
Voters rejected the proposed $33.5 million school district budget. That means the default budget of $31,991,442 will take effect unless the district calls a special meeting to revise the spending plan.
 
A petitioned article that sought to cap per-student spending at $24,994 was amended on the floor to raise the cap to $100,000 but ultimately failed.
 
Monadnock Regional School District
 
Unofficial results show all warrant articles passed in the Monadnock Regional School District.
That includes the district’s $40.8 million operating budget, which was lower than the district’s default budget. Voters also approved a three-year contract with support staff, funding to repave the middle/high school parking lot, and money for roof renovations at the building.
 
ConVal School District

In the ConVal School District, voters in Francestown approved a proposal to withdraw from the district with the required three-fifths majority, 164 to 124.

The withdrawal effort followed a failed 2024 proposal to amend the district’s articles of agreement regarding student assignments. Dublin also explored withdrawing from the district last year, though that proposal did not pass.

District voters also approved the ConVal operating budget of $63,110,834 by a vote of 169 to 122.

Fall Mountain Regional School District

Voters in the Fall Mountain Regional School District overwhelmingly turned down proposals that would have allowed Walpole and Langdon to leave the five-town district, which also includes Acworth, Alstead and Charlestown. The request from Walpole was defeated districtwide by a vote of 1,929 to 580 and was also rejected by Walpole voters themselves, 440 to 336. A similar effort from Langdon met the same outcome, failing 1,886 to 545 across the district and by a margin of 128 to 32 among Langdon voters.

Named to the school board each for a three-year term were Christopher Spaulding, Charlestown (160 votes); Krista Rule, Langdon (156 votes) and Steve Varone, Walpole for a one-year term with 135 votes. 

SAU 29 School Board Elections

Several towns in the SAU 29 district also elected school board members:

  • Harrisville — John Knight

  • Marlborough — Jeffrey B. Miller and Andrew Felegara

  • Marlow — Christie Smith

  • Nelson — Johanna Mackenzie

Rindge

In Rindge, voters returned Robert Hamilton to the selectboard for another three-year term, defeating challenger Robert Martin by a vote of 832 to 661.

Swanzey voters elected Bill Hutwelker and James Ward to three-year terms on the selectboard with 59 and 545 votes respectively, defeating Bruce Tatro who received 481 and Michael R. York, who received 414.

Alan Gross defeated Elizabeth Traynor for a one-year selectboard seat, 678 votes to 408.
The town’s $8.94 million operating budget passed, representing roughly a 6.8 percent increase over last year. Officials cited rising costs including wages, health insurance, insurance premiums and an increase in the town’s ambulance service contract.
 
A proposal to raise $1.2 million for construction of a new public works facility failed to secure final approval, receiving a simple majority of 678–485 but falling short of the required three-fifths supermajority, finishing at about 58 percent.
 
Several other high-profile articles failed. Voters rejected a proposal to repeal SB2 and return to a traditional floor-meeting format for voting on town business (809-345).
 
Two articles related to the historic Christian Hill Road bridge over the Ashuelot Rail Trail were also defeated. One would have delayed the bridge’s removal and created a study committee, while the other sought to preserve the bridge in its current location.
 
Winchester
 
In Winchester, voters replaced two incumbents on the planning board. Margaret Sharra received 331 votes and Ann Ryder earned 294 votes to win three-year terms, defeating incumbents Robert Browne with 269 votes and Richard C. Pratt Jr., who received 209 votes.
 
Ben Kilanski won reelection to a three-year term on the selectboard with 276 votes. Challenger James Rokes finished close behind with 251 votes, followed by Jeannine Hadid with 134.
 
Voters rejected the town’s $5 million proposed budget, 337-281. The default budget, which now goes into effect, is set at $4.97
 
Hinsdale
 
In Hinsdale, incumbent Steven V. Diorio was reelected to a three-year term on the selectboard with 192 votes. Jessica Green also secured a seat with 141 votes. Alex Duso received 126 votes, James MacDonell had 97 and Donna Whittle Sabin received 87.
 
For the budget committee, Stephanie Carle (Seymour) was the leading vote-getter with 248 votes. Incumbents Michael Bomba with 236 votes and Kenny Howe with 184 votes also won three-year terms, while Ann Marie Diorio finished just short with 178.
 
School board seats went to Kendra Gardner with 291 votes and Kaylah Hemlow with 288 votes for three-year terms. Laura Hubbard won a one-year term with 315 votes.
 
Other Town Results
  • Walpole: Steven Dallessio won election as selectman with 669 votes.
  • Richmond: William Daniels won a three-year term on the selectboard.
  • Westmoreland: William S. McGahie was elected to the selectboard with 194 votes. Kevin Powell (198 votes) and Candace A. St. John (184 votes) won three-year school board terms. All warrant articles passed except one that would have created an ordinance banning parking on town roads without a permit from selectmen.
  • Sullivan: Paul Bolduc won a seat on the selectboard with 79 votes. Stephanie Millotte and Colleen Matthews were elected to three-year school board seats, and Barbara Arguin won a one-year term. Voters rejected a zoning amendment that would have exempted portable structures from setback requirements.
  • Dublin and Marlborough
    In Dublin, Frank Rizzo was elected to a three-year term on the selectboard with 236 votes.
    In Marlborough, Jane Pitt won a three-year term as selectman, defeating Andrew S.F. Cullen, 167 to 46.
More election results and final vote tallies from across the Monadnock Region are expected to be reported later Wednesday as officials complete their counts and certify results.