PEMBROKE — May 16, 2026 — Just four days after a packed Town Meeting passionately approved joining the South Shore Regional Vocational Technical School District, the broader Pembroke electorate delivered a resounding “no” at the ballot box. In a definitive turnout on Saturday, voters overwhelmingly rejected both vocational ballot questions by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, completely derailing the town’s multi-year effort to secure guaranteed trade education. In parallel municipal races, incumbent Tracy A. Marino and former member Steven A. Ciciotti secured seats on the Select Board.
The Full Story
The unofficial results from Saturday’s local election revealed a stark disconnect between the residents who attend town meetings and the general voting public.
Vocational Partnership Blocked
At the May 12 Town Meeting, a definitive majority championed the capital and operating investments required to join South Shore Tech. However, at the polls, the financial anxieties raised by fiscal conservatives during the town meeting debate carried the day across all five precincts.
SSVT Question 1 (the operating override to fund Pembroke’s assessed share of the district budget) failed brutally, with 1,148 votes in favor and 2,290 opposed.
SSVT Question 2 (the capital override to fund the town’s portion of the new regional high school building in Hanover) met an identical fate, falling 1,161 to 2,249.
Because Town Manager Bill Chenard previously clarified that the initiative required a clean sweep of four distinct approvals—two at Town Meeting and two at the ballot box—the crushing double-defeat effectively kills Pembroke’s bid to join the district for the foreseeable future. The town will continue to face zero guaranteed slots for incoming ninth-graders seeking vocational education.
“If any of the four votes fails, the entire opportunity fails... then the measure is failed and we’re not going to have the opportunity to go to South Shore Vocational Tech.” — Bill Chenard, Town Manager
SSVT Regional Agreement: Member Town Approval Status
[✅] Abington | [✅] Cohasset | [✅] Hanover | [✅] Hanson | [✅] Marshfield [✅] Norwell | [❌] Rockland | [✅] Scituate | [✅] Whitman
Pembroke Admission Progress [❌]
[✅] Member Town Approvals (6/9 Required) | [❌ ] Operational Override ($2m) | [❌] Debt Exclusion (new SSVT High School)
Select Board and Town Clerk Races
While voters pulled the emergency brake on tax overrides, they opted for familiar leadership on the Selectboard. In a four-way race for two open seats, incumbent Chair Tracy A. Marino led the ticket with 2,055 votes, closely followed by former Selectboard member Steven A. Ciciotti, who captured 1,848 votes. Challengers Tara C. Lenaghan (1,141 votes) and Gordon Perry Christopher (872 votes) fell short.
In the race for Town Clerk, Andraea C. McEttrick Cesarini won an uncontested mandate with 2,501 votes to permanently fill the seat, bringing stability to an office that has relied on temporary and acting clerks since the retirement of Peg Struzek.
Why It Matters
The defeat of the South Shore Tech questions underscores a profound taxpayer fatigue in Pembroke. Despite compelling arguments that the town’s youth are missing out on vital trade options, voters drew a hard line against expanding property tax bills, especially on the heels of major funding campaigns for a new community center and public safety headquarters. For local families hoping to send their children into the trades, the search for alternative educational pathways must now begin anew.
Official Election Data
Ballot Questions
SSVT Question 1 (Operating Override): Failed — 1,148 Yes to 2,290 No
SSVT Question 2 (Capital Debt Exclusion): Failed — 1,161 Yes to 2,249 No
Candidate Race Tally
Select Board (1 Seat, 3-Year Term — Vote for Two)
Tracy A. Marino: 2,055 votes (Elected)
Steven A. Ciciotti: 1,848 votes (Elected)
Tara C. Lenaghan: 1,141 votes
Gordon Perry Christopher: 872 votes
Town Clerk (1 Seat, 3-Year Term — Vote for One)
Andraea C. McEttrick Cesarini: 2,501 votes (Elected)
Board of Health (1 Seat, 3-Year Term — Vote for One)
Adam E. Gedutis: 1,801 votes (Elected)
Judith George: 1,349 votes
School Committee (2 Seats, 3-Year Term — Vote for Two)
David R. Boyle: 2,282 votes (Elected)
Allison Glennon: 2,119 votes (Elected)
J. Paige Graziano (Write-in): 203 votes
Planning Board (2 Seats, 5-Year Term — Vote for Two)
Carly Rose Levy: 2,188 votes (Elected)
Stephan K. Roundtree: 1,951 votes (Elected)
Library Trustees (2 Seats, 3-Year Term — Vote for Two)
Stephanie M. Ciciotti: 1,913 votes (Elected)
Kathleen Ann Benvie: 1,679 votes (Elected)
Willamina Zora Panacy: 1,425 votes
Board of Assessors (1 Seat, 3-Year Term — Vote for One)
Jeffery Leroy Funk: 2,230 votes (Elected)
Constable (1 Seat, 3-Year Term — Vote for One)
Adam E. Gedutis: 2,385 votes (Elected)
Water Commissioner (1 Seat, 3-Year Term — Vote for One)
Richard J. Nicholson: 2,294 votes (Elected)
Housing Authority (1 Seat, 5-Year Term — Vote for One)
Thomas Albert Berry: 2,295 votes (Elected)
Source: Unofficial Town Election Tally Sheets, Town of Pembroke, May 16, 2026.