Politics section
Newly-elected Brattleboro Selectboard members were sworn in by Town Clerk Hilary Francis. Amanda Ellis-Thurber, Isaac Evans-Frantz, and Nell Mayo join Oscar Heller and Peter Case on the board.
The new Chair of the Brattleboro Selectboard is Oscar Heller. “Thanks for trusting me with this position.”
The Vice-Chair is Amanda Ellis Thurber.
March 4, 2026 Motion to Discharge S. J. Res. 104, a joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within the Islamic Republic of Iran. ROLL CALL VOTE: Yea 47, Nay 53
This means the majority of Members of the United States Senate voted to CONTINUE the WAR WITH IRAN because they voted against (against = Nay 53) removal of U.S. Troops from Iran.
Good afternoon,
Please see attached for Brattleboro’s Official Town Meeting Day election results. The winners are in bold.
WSESD official results will be released from the Central School District office as they are ready.
Thank you,
Hilary
Thurber, Evans-Frantz, Mayo
Yes, Yes, Yes
Please see attached for Brattleboro’s Unofficial Town Meeting Day election results. These are the results from the ballot tallies, not including write-in votes, The projected winners are in bold.
WSESD results will be released from their central office once they have the results in from all voting towns.
Note that these are numbers that were crunched after a VERY long day. I will reiterate that they are UNOFFICIAL.
Thanks to the amazing poll workers and the American Legion who made today possible! We had a lot of voters coming through the doors – 28% for Town Meeting Day (similar to last year). The day was smooth and safe!
Interview questions were sent to all candidates for Brattleboro Selectboard; for the first time, not everyone bothered to return answers (there is still time).
Here are the links to candidate interviews in one handy spot of those who chose to participate so far:
Selectboard Chair Elizabeth McLoughlin made some grossly false charges against former Town Manager Peter Elwell in her piece in the Reformer on February 17. Why? Could it be because he had the temerity to express concerns about her impacts on town finances and on the atmosphere of town politics? McLoughlin’s disproportionate and misleading response seems to prove his point.
McLoughlin says Elwell favors defunding the police. He doesn’t. She says, correctly, that at one point the police department was down to 13 officers but fails to acknowledge that, in his capacity as town manager, Elwell hired Norma Hardy, the police chief who rebuilt the department and who developed and implemented the Downtown Safety Action Plan that McLoughlin supported. She implies that he seeks to create a new Community Safety Department with over $100,000 a year for an executive director. Not so.
Ken Fay is running for a three year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
Introduce yourself. Who are you and what would you say are your qualifications for the job?
I’m Ken Fay running for the 3-year term on the selectboard. I believe that my qualifications for the position can be divided into two sections – what I have done professionally throughout my adult life as well as my life experiences. As a CPA with an MBA who has worked in finance and accounting and as a finance director for nonprofits as well as for an Alaskan municipality, I have hands on experience with municipal government. The towns in Alaska while smaller in size than Brattleboro had many of the same fiscal challenges – including that of doing more with less. Since graduating college in 1983, I have had 49 life events – 29 moves and 20 changes in employment. Having no children and never been married has allowed me that flexibility.
Issac Evans-Frantz is an incumbent running for a one year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
Introduce yourself. Who are you and what would you say are your qualifications for the job?
My name is Isaac Evans-Frantz, and I’m the clerk of the Brattleboro Selectboard, running for re-election for a one-year term. I was born at Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and raised in West Brattleboro.
I bring a strong understanding of municipal finances and a willingness to dig into the details. I’ve consistently asked hard questions, advocated for responsible budgeting, and stood up for democratic processes, including voting against budgets I believed placed an undue burden on taxpayers.
Below is some helpful information for the March 3rd Town Meeting and WSESD School Board Director Elections.
Absentee Ballots
Absentee ballots for these elections were mailed by request. Please make sure to follow the instructions provided with your ballot, including:
Signing the certificate envelopeand ensuring your ballot/s are insidethe certificate envelope.
Using ablack pen to mark your ballot.
Do NOT use a markeras it can bleed through to the back of your ballot, requiring a replacement ballot.
WSESD you may vote in all town’s races for School Board.
Only vote for the number of seats available. Voting for more than the number indicated in that race will result in an overvote, and that vote will not be counted.
Randall “Randy” Blodgett is running for a one year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
Introduce yourself. Who are you and what would you say are your qualifications for the job?
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Marketing from Albright College. My career has consistently focused on finance, entrepreneurship, and business development.
I began my professional career with New York Life Insurance Company, where I earned licenses in life, health, and securities. I later founded and operated a successful photography studio for 22 years, while also consulting within the studio industry on finance and marketing strategy.
Deena Chadwick is running for a one-year seat on the Brattleboro Selectboard.
What would you say are your qualifications for the job?
My name is Deena Chadwick, and I’m a third-generation Vermonter and longtime Brattleboro resident. I’ve lived in a number of neighborhoods in Brattleboro, as well as in Vernon and briefly in Guilford. I graduated from BUHS in 1993 and raised my two children here; they both attended Green Street School and BUHS and are now in their early 20s.
For the past 31 years, I’ve worked as a hairstylist in Brattleboro—17 years at Whitman’s Hair Salon, over 14 years running my own business, and the last 8 years as a co-owner of a cooperative hair salon. I also previously co-owned a downtown cycling studio. Over the last decade, I’ve been involved in rehabbing older homes and turning them into business spaces and affordable housing.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/SBU9n5ECNHM
The latest slate of candidates for Brattleboro Selectboard has been finalized.
For the 3 year seat, Amanda Ellis-Thurber, Ken Fay, and current Chair Elizabeth “Liz” McLoughlin are hoping they will get your vote for the single available seat.
There are a hundred news reports this morning, January 15, 2026, about President Trump Threatening to use the Insurrection Act. The allegations come from an alleged Truth Social post.
I don’t use Truth Social, my cellphone number was permanently banned. (Applause!) But this is going around, apparently President Trump is threatening to use the Insurrection Act.
The protests against ICE Immigration raids have escalated into destructive behaviour by protesters as evidenced last night in “LIVE” coverage by independent journalists I follow on Youtube.
The Town of Brattleboro has received two petitions signed by 5% of the legal voters of the Town of Brattleboro to amend the Town Charter as follows:
Petition #1:
Article 1: Shall Brattleboro discontinue the representative form of annual meeting?
Article 2: In the event that the vote on Article 1 is in the affirmative, shall Brattleboro vote by Australian ballot at any annual or special Town meeting on the following:
News reports that U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, U.S. Senator Peter Welch and U.S. Representative to Congress Becca Balint are all opposed to President Trump’s action of Capturing Dictator/President Maduro of Venezuela.
Thursday, January 15 Last day (5:00 P. M.) to file petition requesting that an article be placed on the Warning for Annual Town Meeting and Unified School District (47 days preceding election). Approx. 469 (5%) signatures of registered Brattleboro voters required. 17 VSA 2642
Thursday, January 22 First day to post Warning for Annual Town Meeting and Unified School District (not more than 40 days preceding election) 17 VSA 2641 (a)
Petitions for Brattleboro Town Officers, Windham Southeast School District (WSESD) Board Members, and Town Meeting Members are now available at the Town Clerk’s Office. Petitions are available in the Town Clerk’s Office Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Please note the following exception: From Friday, Dec. 5 through Friday, Dec. 12, 2025, petitions will only be available between the hours of 9 a.m. through 12 p.m.
Town elections will be held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at the American Legion, located at 32 Linden St., Brattleboro, VT 05301.
I’m a below poverty level living senior citizen, age 73, and the bank says my food stamps SNAP program benefits have not been depoisited today as of 2:25 PM and the bank manager is aware that other people are calling and have not received the SNAP program food stamp benefits that they expected to be deposited into their accounts. Apparently there are senior citizens and disabled persons, like me,who do not use EBT cards. Benefits are deposited directly. I shop online and have groceries delivered. Potatoes are tasting better and better every day now, even without butter.
