DANVERS — Voters reelected two incumbent members of the Select Board and elected a new member to the School Committee and other local representatives during the town’s election Tuesday.
More than 7,000 residents cast their ballots at Danvers High School between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., according to unofficial election results released by Danvers’ town clerk Tuesday night.
Gabriel Lopes received 1,457 votes for an open seat on the School Committee, beating against Paula Jones, who garnered 808 votes. Lopes’ term will last the next three years.
Incumbents Daniel Bennett and David Mills won the two seats up for grabs on the Select Board. Bennett came in first with 1,295 ballots. Mills grabbed the second seat with 1,163 votes, coming ahead of third-place finisher Timothy Donahue by 37 votes.
Both of the incumbents will serve three-year terms.
Mills said he was happy to be reelected, especially since the race was closer than he anticipated.
“I look forward to working as a team with the other members of the board who I respect very much and the town moderator, who I think is superb, and the human rights and inclusion committee as we work toward lessening the fear, confusion and unsettling divisiveness that has happened in this town far more than I’ve seen in my lifetime,” Mills said.
Bennett said competition, as seen in a close race like this, “makes you work a little harder and do a better job.”
“Moving forward, we need a strategic plan in the community to see where we’re going to go both economically and socially,” Bennett said. “We have some work to do to help the community heal.”
Town Moderator Patricia Fraizer, who ran unopposed, was re-elected for another year.
Natalie Luca Fiore, Kenneth Yoon Lee and Julie Curtis were elected to three-year seats as Library Trustees.
Voters also elected 18 town meeting members in each of Danvers’ eight precincts for three-year terms.
Contact Caroline Enos at CEnos@northofboston.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolineEnos.
