Dooley, Spritz Win Swampscott Select Board Seats In 2026 Annual Town Election

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Swampscott Planning Board Chair Ted Dooley and Water and Sewer Advisory Board member Wayne Spritz won the two open Select Board seats in a four-person race for two positions at the annual town election on Tuesday.

In the only contested, townwide race of the night, Dooley and Spritz were the convincing winners with 1,064 votes and 1,008 votes, respectively.

Housing Authority Board member Charlie Patsios was third with 598 votes, while town meeting member Wayne Godfrey was fourth with 398 votes.

Current Select Board members Doug Thompson and David Grishman did not seek re-election.

Despite the lack of competition, there were some new faces elected on Tuesday with Ryan Hale elected as town moderator, and Katie Arrington and Martha Cesarz elected to the School Committee to serve alongside incumbent John Giantis.

Cesarz was elected to the seat that former Chair Amy O'Connor vacated when she resigned in December.

"I can't tell you how excited I am to be elected to the Select Board," Spritz said in a post on social media. "I just am really looking forward to getting to work. And looking to engage with anyone and everyone in town. This is going to be an exciting three years. We've got a lot going on and I am just really looking forward to getting to work."

"We are very proud to have carried the ballot tonight," Dooley posted. "More important than that, I am thankful to have had the opportunity to run with Wayne Spritz, Wayne Godfrey, and Charlie Patsios. Everyone brought a great attitude, ideas, and effort to the campaign.

"A new day in Swampscott starts tomorrow."

Godfrey offered congratulations to his opponents in a message posted Tuesday night.

"The voters have spoken," he said, "and although I will not be serving on the Select Board at this time, I know that our town's future is bright, and I intend to be an active part of that future."

Dooley made economic development — like the current Vinnin Square project — an essential focal point of his campaign as needed to maintain services without putting an undue burden on taxpayers. He said the Select Board has given residents reason to believe that members do not respect each other in recent years, and said he would shun "labels" that suggest that certain positions are anti-schools or anti-development simply because aspects of those issues are questioned.

Spritz said during a campaign forum that he will focus on the long-term financial needs of the town and declared that town officials must "rebuild trust in the community" — especially when it comes to the Hawthorne property development.