Speranza-Hartmann and Kraft Take School Seats

Marianne-Speranza-Hartmann gladly bids the campaign goodbye, especially the self-promotion part of it.

"Thank God it is over," she said, shortly after election results were posted at Town Hall Tuesday.

"I'm thrilled and can't wait to start working," she said.

Speranza-Hartmann, a school nurse who grew up in Swampscott, was the leading vote getter among the candidates tallying 1,150 votes.

Rick Kraft came in second with 712 votes.

Kraft said during the campaign that the district is on the right path to improve education.

Candidate David Matela came in third in balloting, receiving 519 votes.

He said after the results were released that he entered the race because he was concerned about math and science education in the district.

He is glad that people are talking about the need to improve education in those subjects, he said.

Stephanie Greenfield received 324 votes even though she announced earlier that she was withdrawing her candidacy.

Voter turnout was 18 percent, said Town Clerk Sue Duplin.

The percentage was the exact same as the turnout in last spring's town election.

That election, however, did not have a police station debt exclusion item on it.

The town clerk expected the turnout to be a little higher than what it ended up.

At 6:30 p.m. at the Congregational Church, Precinct 3 Warden Marsha Dalton and Precinct 4 Warden Theresa Grasso said the turnout appeared a little light.

Both precincts were running about even with the results from the town election a year earlier.

Voter Jonathan Penyack, also a candidate, running unopposed,  was reelected to his library trustee position.

Penyack said he always votes, regardless of the candidates or the ballot questions.

Another voter, Mark Wolinski, said the police  state station question brought him out to vote.

"I was motivated by my tax bill," he said.