Voters Overwhelmingly Choose Major, Kowalski for Selectmen

One man will be taking his seat once again and another will be sitting in a new one. Incumbent Brian Major was re-elected to the Board of Selectmen Tuesday night and candidate Dan Kowalski, nearly matching Major’s votes, was able to secure the other open selectman seat. And the voters couldn’t have made it clearer.  

Roughly 57.7 percent, or 1,181 voters, chose Major for one of the two open three-year seats on the Board of Selectmen. Right behind Major was Kowalski with 55.9 percent of votes, or 1,145 voters.

The two bested contenders Ann Cobleigh, Paul D. Russell and Larry Bruce, who garnered 681, 330, and 293 votes, respectively. 

Both Major and Kowalski found themselves in private residences with friends and supporters around the time election results were released. How did they react?

“I’m thrilled that the people of Andover still have confidence in the leadership I bring to this town,” said Major over the rumblings of a small celebration in the background.

Over at Kowalski’s celebration, he explained how his reaction was short and sweet.  
“There’s really only one word, ‘ecstatic’,” said Kowalski. He will now serve in the selectman seat recently occupied by Ted Tiechert, who chose not to run for re-election.

A total of 2,046 voters, out of 22,580, cast their ballots in Tuesday’s election, boasting a turnout of 9.06 percent, only a slight drop from 9.13 percent in 2011. Also, since 2011, the number of registered voters in Andover has increased by 466 from 22,114.

On Tuesday unopposed candidates (mostly incumbents) were also elected to new terms on the School Committee, Regional Vocational Technical High School Committee and the Trustees of the Punchard Free School Board of Trustees.

Check back later Wednesday morning for articles on each winner.

Results for the Selectmen's Race - Two, Three-Year terms 

BRIAN P MAJOR

1,181

57.72%

LARRY BRUCE

293

14.32%

ANN T COBLEIGH

681

33.28%

DANIEL H KOWALSKI

1,145

55.96%

PAUL L.D. RUSSELL,JR

330

16.13%

Write-in Votes

1

0.05%