“I encourage people: Attend some meetings, see if it’s a good fit for you, talk to people. Some boards have associate members, so there is less pressure, but the learning curve is there.” –Tara J. Whiting-Wells, West Tisbury town clerk
Since 1671, Vineyarders have been self-governed; there are artistic renderings of local government meetings that show what a 1774 community meeting would have looked like. The history of town government on our Island is long and vibrant. And these days, as the world bemoans the increasing fragility of the American democratic process, every resident on Martha’s Vineyard has an opportunity to take part in “the great experiment,” as George Washington described American democracy. If ever there was a time to be a hands-on part of the democratic process, it is now. The 27,000-member group “Islanders Talk…” on Facebook is full of locals complaining about issues that they could help to fix if they were working from within the system. Well, here’s their chance. Deadlines are fast approaching for residents to file their paperwork to become candidates in upcoming town elections, and we want to provide a user-friendly guide on the process.
Despite the need and opportunity, many town elections suffer from a dearth of candidates for the array of boards and committees and other elected posts that will be decided this spring. Most positions up and down the ballot have a single candidate, and often those running unopposed have held their posts for decades. Tara J. Whiting-Wells had to campaign the first time she ran for West Tisbury town clerk 17 years ago, but has run unopposed ever since. In some cases, literally nobody runs for a position. Jack Law, the Oak Bluffs town moderator, speaks of appointing people to positions when there are no candidates. Generally, select boards make such appointments, but there is no Island-wide consistency in appointment authority; down-Island towns tend to be more structured than the up-Island ones in this regard.
Islanders are generally very civic-minded, so why are there so few people vying to be involved in civics? There are several reasons.
Certain roles are now appointed rather than elected, because of statewide rules, especially for treasurers and tax collectors. Also Law, who’s been in local politics for 50 years, observes that it’s much harder to make a living on the Vineyard than it was decades ago; people need to work two jobs to pay their mortgage or their rent, and it’s become too expensive to take the time to serve. Many candidates are often retirees –– a significant demographic shift since the 1970s and 80s, when they tended to be young homeowners, stakeholders with a sense of agency about how their town would face the future.
There is also the Island’s severe housing instability, which has ripple effects out into the community. People may be registered to vote in towns they no longer live in, or only live in during the off-season. It’s harder to feel invested when you’re not a property owner or year-round renter.
But there’s a subtler reason for a lackluster interest in politics. Putting oneself out there as a candidate for the first time can be intimidating. Town websites are not always intuitive to navigate. So for those who want to put their values where their mouth is, here’s a more human touch to all that information.
If you’re feeling the call to serve, go to your town hall at your earliest convenience, and offer proof of residency to the town clerk so that you may pull papers –– in other words, apply to be a candidate. You’ll fill out a simple form or two about your plans for raising campaign funds.
The application requires endorsements from verified town voters. The minimum number of signatures required is modest: 20 in West Tisbury and Chilmark, 22 in Edgartown, 24 in Oak Bluffs, 25 in Aquinnah, 21 in Tisbury. If you’re running for the water district in Oak Bluffs, you need 50 signatures.
Once you’ve amassed the needed signatures, file the papers with your town clerk before the deadline. This is different in each town, but fast approaching in each of them: Feb. 24 for West Tisbury, Feb. 26 for Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, March 11 for Chilmark, March 24 for Tisbury, and March 27 for Aquinnah.
“The nomination papers are then returned to the clerk’s office, and then the registrars will certify the voter signatures,” explains Kayla Darcy, Aquinnah’s town clerk.
Now you’re a candidate.
But whom –– if anyone –– are you running against?
You can ask the town clerk whether others have also pulled papers. If they have, you can decide at that point whether you want to run opposed. It’s a small and friendly Island, and so even when there’s competition, it’s generally congenial. The late West Tisbury selectman Kent Healey liked to say, “I’m not running against anyone, I’m running for the office.”
There’s a good chance, however, it will just be you. For example, as of this writing, in the town of Oak Bluffs, nobody has pulled papers for an open select board seat, or for openings in the board of health, finance committee, school committee, and others.
With zero competition, your campaign can take little effort, and cost you literally nothing. “Most people do not spend money,” says Law. Then he amends that to: “Selectmen and town clerks spend some money.”
Amy Del Torto ran for town clerk of Oak Bluffs last year, in a special election to finish out the former clerk’s position. She was one of three candidates. Although she had to file campaign finance forms, she spent only about $500 on her successful campaign. “I just purchased my own signs, and postcards that I passed out to people. I went around knocking on doors and outside the post office. I was very uncomfortable with it at first, I didn’t think people would be receptive, but some people said, ‘I voted for you because you did that.’”
Del Torto will be running for the position again this year. “Getting involved matters,” she says, “because the boards and committees are shaping your town’s future.”
Here’s a brief description of (most of) the seats that are open for election:
Select board:
The select board functions as the chief policymaking and executive officer of the town. It calls town meetings, prepares warrants, makes appointments, and issues licenses. Massachusetts General Laws vest the select board with all municipal authority not delegated to other elected boards or retained by town meeting, and engages town counsel.
Town clerk:
The town clerk functions as registrar of vital records, chief election official, and custodian of town records; the clerk issues marriage/death/birth licenses and dog licenses, and handles meeting postings.
Finance committee:
Per statutory requirements of Massachusetts General Law, the finance committee is charged with considering and making reports and recommendations to the town on any or all municipal questions. It also makes recommendations on all warrant articles presented to town meeting for consideration. (The Tisbury committee’s mission statement requires the committee to be “frugal, but not foolish.”)
Constable:
While the nuances of the word change regionally, in New England, a constable is generally a local official serving civil processes, such as subpoenas, summons, and eviction notices.
Planning board:
The planning board guides community development by reviewing land use. In different towns, this can mean very different things. West Tisbury’s website refers to “guiding community development” with “balanced growth,” while Chilmark’s mission “is to preserve Chilmark’s open areas, natural features of the land, and the rural, agricultural, fishing, and shellfishing community, famed for the excellence of its location, vegetation, its open spaces, vistas, ponds, forests and shoreline on north and south coasts.”
Board of health:
The board of health is responsible for safeguarding the health of the town’s residents. Specific duties are relative to the protection of public health, control of disease, promotion of sanitary living and food-service conditions, permitting of septic systems, monitoring the quality of pond and lake water to safeguard the shellfish supply, and general protection of the environment from damage and pollution. The board of health is the only board that may pass a regulation without a public hearing.
Board of assessors:
The board of assessors in each city and town in the commonwealth is required by Massachusetts law to list and value all real and personal property on an annual basis. The office is also a data center for maps, ownership and deed information, property descriptions, and property sales.
Cemetery commission:
The cemetery commission is charged with ensuring the proper maintenance of the cemetery and making improvements where needed.
Tree warden:
This person is responsible for managing all community shade trees on streets and town commons as well as in parks, schoolyards, and town forests.
Offices up for re-election in the 2026 term (in some cases, there is more than one opening per position):
Aquinnah:
Board of health
Constable
Library trustee
Planning board
School committee rep
Select board
Town clerk
Chilmark:
Board of assessors
Board of health
Cemetery commissioner
Fence viewer
Finance committee
Library trustee
Planning board
Select board
Surveyor of wood, lumber & bark
Tree Warden
Edgartown:
Board of assessors
Board of health
Finance committee
Library trustee
Parks commissioner
Planning board
School committee
Select board
Wastewater treatment commission
Water commissioner
Oak Bluffs:
Board of health
Cemetery commissioner
Constable
Finance committee
Park commissioner
Planning board
Select board
School committee
Town clerk
Wastewater commissioner
Water district commissioner
Tisbury:
Select board
Board of assessors
Board of health
Constable
Finance and advisory committee
Library trustee
Moderator
Planning board
School committee
Town clerk
Water commissioner
West Tisbury:
Board of assessors
Board of health
Constable
Finance committee
Land Bank commissioner
Library trustee
Moderator
Parks and recreation
Select board
Town clerk
Tree warden
Up-Island regional school committee