Voters will have three contested townwide races to consider along with options in nine of 10 Town Meeting precincts when they head to the polls for the annual town election on April 14.
Both the Select Board and Planning Board are guaranteed to have at least one new member as veteran incumbents opted not to seek re-election. The other contested race will be for a seat on the seven-member School Committee where a single challenger has emerged to face two incumbents seeking re-election.
The town will also vote in two new constables, as the two incumbents have chosen not to run again. Only one resident, John Longley, has been certified for a spot on the ballot, which means the other constable will be the recipient of the highest number of write-in votes.
Town Meeting has 240 elected members who serve three-year terms, one-third of whom are elected each year. This year, all but one of 10 precincts have between nine and 13 candidates running for eight seats. Overall, there are 106 candidates for 84 spots, which includes four additional spots vacated by members departing in the midst of their terms. Only Precinct C will be uncontested with exactly eight candidates.
With only 60 incumbents opting to run for re-election, there will be at least two dozen new members when Annual Town Meeting convenes in early May.
Seats on the Board of Health, Park & Recreation, Library Trustees, Needham Housing Authority, Memorial Park Trustees and Commissioners of Trust Funds will all be filled by uncontested incumbents.
The Board of Assessors will bring on a new member, Marc Wexler, who was the only person to qualify for a spot on the ballot. He will replace Michael Niden, who stepped down after moving out of town.
SELECT BOARD
With veteran member Marianne Cooley opting not to seek a fifth term, the board is guaranteed to have a new member for the fifth time in the past six elections.
Current Vice Chair Cathy Dowd is seeking a second term and will be joined on the ballot by Bill Dermody, a third-generation Needhamite, and Richard Adduci, a resident of three years.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Both incumbents whose three-year terms are expiring are seeking re-election to the committee. Michael Greis has been on the committee since 2005, while Matt Spengler was first elected in 2017.
They are being challenged by Lauren Soper, a former Town Meeting member.
PLANNING BOARD
Three challengers are seeking to replace current Planning Board Chair Natasha Espada, who has opted not to seek another five-year term on the five-member board. This is the fourth consecutive year the Planning Board will bring on a new member.
Two of the three candidates ran in previous years — Oscar Mertz in 2023 and Ken Buckley in 2025. The third challenger is first-time candidate Gary Lesanto.
TOWN MEETING
A total of 22 incumbents will not return to Town Meeting, creating an opportunity for an unusually high rate of single-year turnover on the town’s legislative body. The overall field includes 58 incumbents and 41 challengers.
There are also two contested races for open one-year terms in Precincts A and G.
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