HALIFAX - May 16 - The town of Halifax, MA, has released its unofficial local election results following the vote on May 16, 2026. Out of 6,612 registered voters, 1,587 ballots were cast, representing a total voter turnout of 24%. The election was heavily defined by a decisive rejection of a proposed Proposition 2½ override alongside three separate ballot questions aimed at changing elected town roles into appointed positions.
Major Ballot Questions Defeated
Voters strongly pushed back against restructuring municipal roles and increasing property taxes, turning down all four questions on the ballot:
Ballot Question 4 (Proposition 2½ Override): The proposed tax override failed to pass, with 867 “No” votes defeating 714 “Yes” votes.
Ballot Question 1 (Town Clerk): A proposal to amend the Town Clerk position from elected to appointed failed with 1,041 “No” votes to 513 “Yes” votes.
Ballot Question 2 (Treasurer-Collector): The measure to make the Treasurer-Collector an appointed role was voted down 1,047 to 507.
Ballot Question 3 (Highway Dept. Superintendent): The initiative to shift the Highway Department Superintendent to an appointed position was rejected 1,086 to 453.
Based on the conversation at Town Meeting, the overarching purpose of the override was to adequately fund the public schools, the fire department, and other core public safety and municipal services. Because the override failed, the town is unable to fund the schools at their originally requested level-service budget, leaving these critical departments to operate under tight structural deficits and keeping several town positions permanently scaled back.
Contested Town Races
Several competitive municipal positions were decided by the voters:
Board of Water Commissioners: Joseph Fava won the three-year term with 828 votes, defeating Richard A. Clark who received 599 votes.
Board of Assessors: Holly J. Merry secured a three-year term with 838 votes over Tammy A. Hillery’s 482 votes.
Halifax Elementary School Committee: In the race for two open seats, Jody Goyette led comfortably with 1,053 votes, followed by Tara Tonello with 145 votes and Gordon Andrews with 111 votes.
Additional Key Town Positions
Other notable positions filled by voters during this election cycle included:
Board of Selectmen: Jonathan Selig secured a three-year term, capturing 1,132 votes.
Highway Surveyor: R. Steven Hayward won a three-year term with 1,212 votes.
Board of Health: David J. Hatch won a three-year term with 1,169 votes.
Planning Board: James A. Walsh was elected to a five-year term with 1,134 votes.
Silver Lake Regional School Committee: Jennifer Ann Carroll secured a three-year term with 1,083 votes.
Board of Library Trustees: Christina B. Palmer (1,012 votes) and Sarah Louise Sloat (926 votes) both earned three-year terms.
Park Commissioner: Michael J. Schleiff claimed a three-year term with 1,148 votes.
Halifax Housing Authority: Mark Howard Dillon won a two-year term with 1,148 votes , while Christine M. Tompkins won a three-year term with 1,127 votes.
All results remain unofficial until verified by the town clerk’s office.