Table of Contents
The Marblehead Independent built this voter guide so residents can find candidates, ballot questions, override details and voting information in one place before June 9. Right now, 120 readers make recurring monthly or annual contributions, and we are aiming to reach 175 by the end of July so this kind of election coverage can stay free for the whole town. If this guide helped you prepare, today is a good day to join them. 🟦 Become a member here.
The Marblehead Independent has published its 2026 voter guide, a one-stop resource for residents preparing for the town’s annual election on Tuesday, June 9.
The guide aims to bring every candidate on the ballot, every ballot question and key voting information in one place. It is designed to help voters compare choices before they cast a ballot, with contested races listed first and candidate questionnaire responses available to read in full.
This year’s ballot includes six contested races, including Select Board, moderator, School Committee, Recreation and Parks Commission, Cemetery Commission and Housing Authority. The guide also lists candidates running unopposed for assessors, Board of Health, Abbot Public Library trustees, municipal light commissioner, Planning Board and Water and Sewer Commission.
Voters will also decide four questions on the back of the ballot. Questions 1, 2 and 3 are competing Proposition 2½ override questions that would raise $9 million, $12 million or $15 million for town and school operations in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. Voters may vote for or against each question independently; if more than one passes, the question with the highest dollar amount prevails. Question 4 is a separate $2.3 million override question for curbside trash, yard waste, recycling and waste disposal contracts.
The voter guide includes a breakdown of what each override tier would fund and how each scenario would affect the tax bill on the median Marblehead single-family home. It also links to letters to the editor and related coverage for readers who want more context before voting. For residents following the budget debate, the guide places the ballot questions alongside candidate answers about town finances, services, capital needs and local government.
Get our free local reporting delivered straight to your inbox. No noise, no spam — just clear, independent coverage of Marblehead. Sign up for our once-a-week newsletter.
Where candidates returned questionnaires from The Independent, their full responses appear below their names. Where no response has been received, the candidate remains listed in ballot order. The Independent will continue to update the guide with additional candidate responses, election information and links to related coverage as it reports on the campaign and the issues before voters.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 9. Marblehead has six precincts, and voters should cast ballots at the precinct assigned to their address. Residents who are unsure of their precinct may call the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-631-0528 or use the state’s online voter lookup tool.
Early voting will take place at Abbot Hall Auditorium, 188 Washington St., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 2; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 3; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, June 4. Voters may also request a mail ballot in writing from Town Clerk Robin A. Michaud.
The guide is published for informational purposes and is not an endorsement of any candidate or ballot question. The guide is available online now on The Independent’s website.
