HOLDEN — In a rematch from last year, Thomas Curran and Stephen Cooley vied for a seat on the Board of Selectmen in the town’s May 8 election.
The three-year seat was won by Curran, with a vote tally of 1,462, over Cooley, who garnered 935 votes.
In a September 2022 special election, Curran had won election for the final year of a seat that opened on the board due to a resignation, defeating Cooley 2,159 to 1,174.
The race was tighter this time around, with strong opinions expressed on both sides.
The selectman post was the only contest on the printed Holden ballot, but a write-in effort was successful in the Wachusett Regional School District School Committee race.
With two seats available for three-year terms up for election on the committee, Laura M. Kirshenbaum (1,427) won as well as writein candidate Shannon Poole (1,260), with Judith Newton (955) polling last.
The other positions on the ballot included Daniel Nason (1,565 votes) for moderator, a one-year position.
Russell John Dye (1329) and Kenneth V. Mills (1184) filled the two threeyear terms as Trustees of Damon Memorial, while Michael E. Seiss (1487) was elected to a fiveyear term on the Holden Housing Authority.
With 2,428 ballots cast, 16.01% of Holden’s 15,170 registered voters turned out to participate in the democratic process, according to preliminary results provided by Town Clerk Jeanne Hudson.
