2026 April Town Election Review
March/April 2026
• As the town prepares to open it polls, we look back at three of the key races.
The finish line is fast approaching for those contending for local offices. The Town Clerk’s office is staging itself to process advance ballots and the town is prepared to open the doors to the polls on April 14th.
In the weeks leading up to the election, we spoke with candidates running for positions on both the School Committee and the Select Board.
The Needham Select Board has two three-year seats open this year. Municipal Producer Melissa Marchese spoke with Cathy Dowd (Incumbent), Rich Adduci, and Bill Dermody about why they are running and their thoughts on important issues in Needham.
The Needham School Committee also has two three-year seats open this year. We sat down with Michael Greis (Incumbent), Matthew Spengler (Incumbent), and Lauren Soper to discuss their qualifications and important topics related to the Needham Public School District.
Finally, the Needham Planning Board has two candidates vying for a five-year seat. At the Candidate’s Night held by the League of Women Voters of Needham, Gary Lesanto and Oscar Mertz presented what they would like to see the Planning Board accomplish in the near future.
More Stories
Fall State Election Underway
October 15, 2026 • With early voting opening on Oct. 17, we examine at the rules in place this election...
Select Board to Tackle Appointments Backlog
October 14, 2026 • After revisiting its appointments process over the summer, the board still has several outstanding vacancies to...
Fin Com Narrowly Supports Pollard Project
October 12, 2026 • In a 5-4 vote at its Wednesday meeting, the Finance Committee recommended adoption of the Pollard...
Needham Schools Share Health Survey Findings
October 8, 2026 • The survey recorded student substance use, mental health, smartphone use, gambling and more behaviors. School officials...
Rausch Talks Pollard, Rising Costs, Federal Woes
September 21, 2026 • While the state legislature is out of formal session, the state senator shared her perspective on...
Tree ByLaw Leaves Room for Negotiation
September 10, 2026 • Town Meeting may be asked to adopt a new bylaw aimed at preserving trees alongside property...