SHIRLEY — Robert Prescott, a local landscaper and developer who grew up in town and served for several years on the Shirley School Committee, is now a selectman, trumping his opponent, former selectman and retired police chief Enrico Cappucci, by just over 200 votes.
The two were vying for a single, one-year, unexpired term on the three-member board. The seat opened up when Armand “Andy” Deveau resigned a year short of serving out his second full term, citing plans to move out of town.
With a total count of 1,196 votes cast, Prescott received 691 votes versus Cappucci’s 475 votes.
The record also shows 27 blanks and three write-ins.
Selectman David Swain, who ran unopposed for a second consecutive three-year term, garnered 849 votes, with a total count that included 842 blanks and five write-ins.
In other contested races, incumbent Keith Keady retained his position as constable, with 702 votes versus 391 votes for his opponent, Patricia Krauchune, and Paulette Arakelian received 551 votes for the one-year assessor’s position, defeating challenger Roderick Thurston, who received 319 votes. The count also included 325 blanks and one write-in.
Of the town’s 3,951 registered voters, 1,196 cast ballots in the town election, with a total turnout of 30.3 percent.
Fewer ballots were turned in for the special state primary, with 1,120 votes cast, or 28.3 percent.
In that election, Democratic candidate Edward Markey won the day in Shirley, paralleling the statewide vote. He received 361 votes here versus Stephen Lynch, also a Democrat, who received 315 votes.
On the Republican ballot, Gabriel Gomez received 250 votes; Michael Sullivan received 121 votes and Daniel Winslow received 49 votes.
