Abington Election 2026: New Leadership Emerges as Town Braces for High-Stakes Override Vote
Coyle wins 1 year Select Board term, Eddy and Cormier win 3 year terms
ABINGTON - April 25, 2026 - Abington residents have charted a new course for town leadership, electing a mix of seasoned veterans and fresh voices to the Select Board and School Committee. With a massive $1.6 million school override and a total “menu” of seven separate funding questions looming at the upcoming Town Meeting, voters tapped Daniel J. Eddy Jr. and William C. Cormier Jr. for three-year Select Board terms, while former Selectman Kenneth M. Coyle returns to the board for a one-year seat. The election serves as the final prelude to the May 4 Town Meeting, where the community must decide the fate of town services ranging from education to library certification.
The Full Story
The 2026 Annual Town Election in Abington was defined by the long shadow of a looming fiscal crisis. Throughout the campaign, candidates across all boards highlighted a projected $1.6 million shortfall for the school department, alongside rising costs for trash disposal and public safety. Registrar Paul Ferris read the unofficial results late Saturday night at Beaver Brook Elementary School, confirming a significant shift in the composition of the town’s executive leadership.
The Select Board Race In the most watched contest, Marine veteran and Finance Committee member Daniel J. Eddy Jr. secured a decisive victory for one of two available three-year seats, leading the field in every precinct. Eddy campaigned on a platform of fiscal modernization, frequently arguing that the town must be managed with a more proactive, business-oriented mindset. Joining him for a three-year term is William C. Cormier Jr., who maintained steady support across the town’s five precincts.
“We have to run this town like a business. We have to be proactive. If this override passes, we have the ability to set the stage for next year to not be in this position again.” — Daniel J. Eddy Jr.
Kenneth M. Coyle, a familiar face in Abington politics who previously served nine years on the board, won the one-year seat left vacant by a recent resignation. Coyle, who described himself as “bleeding green,” noted that he returned to the race because he believed the town’s current management lacked transparency and fiscal discipline.
School Committee Stability Incumbents Christopher P. Coyle and Melanie D. Whitney were re-elected to the School Committee. Christopher Coyle, who currently chairs the committee, admitted he initially planned to retire after nine years but felt compelled to stay due to the “difficult budget forecast”. He warned that a failure to pass the $1,622,114 school override would lead to the loss of 28 full-time staff positions, impacting everything from class sizes to extracurricular drama and music programs.
Whitney, a controller for a startup company, emphasized her intent to use her accounting background to “do more with less” while acknowledging that Abington’s per-pupil spending is already well below the state median.
The “Menu” Override and Trash Prices A recurring theme throughout the candidate forums was the structure of the upcoming override vote. Unlike many towns that present a single sum, Abington is offering a “menu” of seven separate questions for different departments. While Kenneth Coyle criticized this approach as “divisive,” pitting departments against each other, Wendy Happel (Select Board candidate) argued it gives taxpayers more choice based on what they can afford.
The candidates also grappled with the “trash crisis”—a sharp rise in waste disposal costs that has plagued the budget. Suggestions to resolve the shortfall included exploring “pay-as-you-throw” bag systems, mandatory locking of public dumpsters to prevent illegal dumping, and increasing efforts to compost food waste to reduce weight-based disposal fees.
Why It Matters
The outcome of this election directly impacts the “pocketbooks” of every Abington resident. The new Select Board must now work with the Town Manager to find a path forward if any of the seven override questions fail at Town Meeting. For parents, the re-election of Coyle and Whitney signals a commitment to preserving current class sizes and specialized programs like the “learning to read” initiatives in early elementary grades. For all taxpayers, the emphasis on a three-year fiscal forecast suggests a move away from the “annual surprise” of budget shortfalls toward long-term stabilization.
Official Minutes & Data
Key Election Results (Unofficial)
Select Board (3 Years - 2 Seats):
Daniel J. Eddy Jr.: 564 total votes (Winner)
William C. Cormier Jr.: 384 total votes (Winner)
Wendy R. Happel: 338 total votes
Select Board (1 Year - 1 Seat):
Kenneth M. Coyle: 674 total votes (Winner)
School Committee (3 Years - 2 Seats):
Christopher P. Coyle: 585 total votes (Winner)
Melanie D. Whitney: 561 total votes (Winner)
Town Clerk:
Leanne M. Adams: 670 total votes (Winner)
Moderator:
Shawn P. Reilly: 632 total votes (Winner)
Candidate Platforms
Daniel Eddy Jr.: Focused on business-style management and 3-year fiscal forecasting.
Ken Coyle: Advocated for increased transparency and returning to “living within our means”.
Christopher Coyle: Prioritizing special education “circuit breaker” reimbursement reforms at the state level.
Melanie Whitney: Focused on addressing aging infrastructure, noting the Woodsdale and Beaver Brook schools are 40+ years old and in need of capital planning.
What’s Next
Annual Town Meeting: Scheduled for May 4, 2026. This is where the final budget and the specific override amounts will be debated and voted upon by residents.
Special Election: The ballot questions for the Proposition 2½ overrides will be presented to voters following Town Meeting on May 16, 2026.
Source Videos:
updated with complete unofficial results