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Winchester voters head to the polls Saturday for municipal elections featuring contested races for Select Board and School Committee alongside an unexpected development — two write-in candidates vying for a Planning Board seat that initially have no contenders on the ballot.
The March 22 election will take place at Winchester High School cafeteria, 80 Skillings Road, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The facility serves as the central polling location for all eight precincts due to ongoing construction in the gymnasium.
Two write-in candidates — Jack LeMenager and Matthew Zarracina — have launched campaigns for the Planning Board seat being vacated by Diab Jerius. The Planning Board oversees development through zoning decisions, design reviews and evaluation of commercial and residential projects in Winchester.
LeMenager, who has served on the Historical Commission since 2009 and as a Town Meeting member for 15 years, has focused his campaign on improving coordination between Winchester’s various boards and streamlining the development approval process while preserving the town's architectural character.
Zarracina, co-founder and CEO of True Tickets, a digital ticket delivery company supporting arts organizations including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, entered the race after noticing the vacant seat while voting at Town Hall.
The U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Navy pilot holds dual degrees in systems engineering and an MBA from Cornell. He advocates for responsible land use planning to maintain Winchester’s appeal for future generations.
The 2025 election comes amid significant turnover in town leadership, with six incumbents choosing not to seek re-election and five current officeholders attempting to retain their seats.
In the Select Board race, four candidates compete for two three-year seats: incumbent Anthea Brady, Dorothy Simboli, Richard Welch Jr. and Paras Bhayani. The Select Board functions as the town’s executive branch, with oversight of town budgets, policies and long-term planning decisions.
Welch, a 35-year resident of Winchester, brings extensive real estate development experience to his candidacy. As president of Mesiti Development Corporation, he has developed and built hundreds of senior living units and worked on multiple Chapter 40B affordable housing projects throughout Massachusetts.
Simboli, who previously ran for Select Board in 2024, brings experience as a Town Meeting member since 2016 and eight years on the Board of Appeals, where she handled special permits, variances and affordable housing cases. She is an attorney specializing in real estate and land use.
Bhayani joined the advisory board of OneGoal-Massachusetts in 2022, an organization focused on closing the degree divide in Massachusetts. He has advocated for educational improvements in Winchester, particularly early literacy programs.
Three candidates vie for two School Committee seats: incumbents Karen Maruyama Bolognese and Christian Nixon face a challenge from Stefanie Mnayarji in their bids for three-year terms.
Uncontested races include town moderator, where Philip Frattaroli runs unopposed to replace Heather von Mering, who is stepping down after five terms.
George Nowell Jr. seeks re-election to the Board of Assessors, Anne Marie Hill is running for Board of Health to replace Ruth Trimachi who chose not to run again, and David Coughlan seeks to retain one of two available Library Board of Trustees seats.
Early voting continues at Town Hall through March 21, with hours varying daily. Absentee voting remains available for registered voters who will be away on Election Day or are unable to vote in person due to disability or religious beliefs.
Voters seeking detailed information about candidates and positions can visit the Winchester News 2025 Election Guide at https://winchesternews.org/202503-spring-town-elections/, which provides candidate profiles and links to recorded forums.
Election results will be published on Winchester News after polls close Saturday.
