Resident Crystal Found, wearing a protective mask, casts her ballot, while a volunteer poll worker stands behind her. Yarmouth had a number of dividers and separate entrances for voters to maintain social distance. Chance Viles / The Forecaster

YARMOUTH— Residents elected April Humphrey, Tim Shannon and Michelle Cromarty in a five-way race Tuesday for three seats on the Town Council, but ousted incumbent Sarah Day from the School Committee.

Voters also handily approved the school and town budgets, but the race for House District 47 will advance to ranked choice voting since none of the three candidates garnered 50% of the vote.

Humphrey, who ran for reelection to the council, had 2,228 votes, followed by Shannon, who was also an incumbent, with 2,052 and Cromarty, who pulled 2,043 votes. Former councilor Jim Macleod trailed with 1,623 votes, followed by Tom Romano with 1,472 votes.

Every other poll booth was closed to keep voters distanced from one another. Chance Viles / The Forecaster

“I ran a really positive campaign, I focused on the issues even when things went negative,” Humphrey said. “I focused hard on my accomplishments and what I wanted to build on for my second term.”

“It was a lot of work, which was great,” Cromarty said. “It was an unusual, because we couldn’t canvas normally like we would in an election. Its doubly interesting it was my first time running for office in Yarmouth, but didn’t get to go out and have a candidates night or canvas.”

“I am humbled and grateful that the voters got my back for another term,” Shannon said.

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Michael Wilbur and Allison Hodgkins took two vacancies on the School Committee, with votes of 2,027 and, 2363 votes, respectively. Day, who did not return messages seeking comment, garnered 1,867 votes.

“I’m a little stunned, pleasantly so, but I am really proud and privileged to have a chance to serve Yarmouth,” Hodgkins said. “I am really glad people in town recognize that we ran an all-positive campaign.”

House nomination undecided

It will be at least another week before a winner is declared in the race for a Democratic nominee for House 47, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

Arthur Bell took 930 votes. Heather Abbot garnered 824 votes and Peter Fromuth, 532. With no candidate winning more than 50 percent, the state will tabulate ballots in order of voters’ ranked-choice, which takes into account the order of preference voters gave each candidate.

Yarmouth passes school, municipal budgets

It was clear, however, that Yarmouth residents approved the school budget, with a vote of 2,602 to 1,032, and the town spending plan by 2,961 to 618.

The $43.3 million combined budget includes $28.9 million in school funding (up 8.7%), $13.1 million in town expenses (down 1.28%) and $1.2 million for Cumberland County tax (up 6%).

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“For me, the school budget is important to pass, the increase seems reasonable to me and that it’s needed,” resident Matt Anson said at the polls.

The education budget had its detractors, as well.

“After a certain age, we shouldn’t have to foot the bill for the schools, it keeps going up,” resident Joseph Pelletier said. “At 65 or 70 years old, you’ve done your share. I don’t get an 8.7% increase in what I make.”

Voters also overwhelmingly approved a $450,000 Supplemental Emergency COVID-19 Response appropriation for Yarmouth schools by a vote of 2,745 to 839.

The appropriation will cover a variety of costs likely to be associated with pandemic protections in the coming school year, such as face coverings for staff and students; Plexiglas shields in serving lines, office spaces and some classroom settings; air sanitizers, thermal scanners and hand sanitizer.

Approval means an increase in the school budget, which will cause the tax rate to rise to $19.59, a 3.85% hike, according to Town Manager Nat Tupper. A $400,000 home would see a $292 increase in taxes.

Results from polls were released just before 1 a.m. Candidates recalled volunteers working late into the night to calculate the absentee ballots, which held up results.

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