John Bellaire, 22, among youngest townwide winners in Winchester history
He won all eight precincts after a door-to-door campaign that emphasized direct voter contact over institutional backing.
News
13 YEARS OF DATA, ONE SATURDAY: Takeaways from Winchester’s override vote and the races that surrounded it
Winchester News reviewed precinct-level election results from every annual town election since 2014 — 13 years of data covering turnout, ballot questions, Select Board races, School Committee contests and Planning Board results — and compared them against the March 21 preliminary numbers. The 2026 results have not yet been certified by
With override rejected, Winchester shifts from campaigning to budget planning
After Winchester voters rejected an $11.5 million Proposition 2 1/2 override on Election Day, March 21, the governing question in town has shifted from persuasion to arithmetic. Select Board member Bill McGonigle, who served on the Yes for Winchester campaign, said the defeat has changed how he approaches
Third No Kings Rally for Winchester, Medford area set for March 28
Winchester will hold its third No Kings rally this weekend and include a new addition to its program – a community walk toward town before the rally. Organizers of Winchester’s third No Kings rally hope to draw in more than 1,000 people to the March 28 event. Other rallies
Sen. Jason Lewis and Mass. Senate pass PETS Act
The following was submitted by the Office of Sen. Jason Lewis: State Sen. Jason Lewis joined colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate to pass the PETS Act, animal welfare legislation to end the inhumane puppy-mill-to-pet-shop pipeline, strengthen animal cruelty protections, and make responsible pet ownership possible for
Solar, lodging tax, reserve policy anchor Winchester Spring Town Meeting warrant
The Winchester Select Board voted unanimously to approve a draft warrant for the town’s April 27 Spring Town Meeting, finalizing a slate of more than 40 articles after an evening spent adding co-sponsorships, debating governance proposals and removing one solar energy alternative. The March 16 session effectively closed
Stephen Chandler named new president of Winchester Hospital
The following was submitted by Winchester Hospital: Stephen Chandler, MBA, has joined Winchester Hospital as its new president. Chandler is an accomplished health care leader with extensive experience in executive leadership across complex hospital organizations. “We are pleased to welcome Stephen to Winchester Hospital, where he will lead the hospital
Voters fill Town Meeting seats across Winchester; four incumbents unseated
The biggest shakeup came in Precinct 7, where two officeholders lost in an 11-person contest, matching Precinct 4 for the busiest race.
Winchester’s $11.5M override falls short; Prior returns to Select Board, Bellaire joins School Committee and Beliveau unseats Rossettos
The pattern broke. For seven straight votes stretching back to 2017, Winchester voters had said yes to every Proposition 2½ question put before them — school buildings, operating budgets, capital needs. The Lynch Elementary School project passed in 2023 with 82.4% support, the highest for any school ballot question in
State Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven joins crowded bid to succeed retiring Sen. Jehlen
A Somerville progressive launched a campaign for the Second Middlesex seat.
Winchester Town Meeting to take up major $6.2M solar expansion plan
The expansion would mark a significant leap for a town that has built its solar portfolio incrementally.
Winchester Select Board signals support for 7% water and sewer rate increase
The Winchester Select Board signaled support March 16 for a 7% increase in water and sewer rates for fiscal year 2027, with a formal vote expected at a public hearing scheduled for March 30. Consultant Mark Abrahams of the Abrahams Group presented three rate options to the board during a
For years, Winchester voters rejected nearly every tax override. Then the pattern flipped.
Editor’s note: An interactive visualization of all 33 Proposition 2½ ballot questions in Winchester from 1988 through 2023, including results by decade, override type and individual vote, is available here. From November 1988 through January 2023, Winchester voters went to the polls 25 times to decide 33 Proposition 2½
Rep. Michael Day nominates Winchester’s Dr. Karen Abdool for Black Excellence on the Hill Award
The following was submitted by the Office of Rep. Michael Day: Rep. Michael S. Day recently nominated Winchester’s Dr. Karen Abdool M.D, PhD for recognition at the Massachusetts State House, where the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus honored her with the Black Excellence on the Hill Award.
Construction funding secured for Horn Pond fish passage
The following was submitted by the Mystic River Watershed Association: The Horn Pond Fish Passage project received final funding needed for construction with an anticipated construction start in summer/fall 2026, aiming to be complete before the river herring migration begins in spring 2027. Funding for this new fish passage
Process, pace set Prior and Brady apart in Winchester Select Board race
The contest highlights competing governing styles, one emphasizing consensus and process, the other urging faster action and visible dissent.