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Resources for the 2026 Holliston Town Election

Holliston's 2026 ballot is short, but the stakes aren't. With a brand-new superintendent stepping in on July 1, the high school building project officially underway, and another teacher contract negotiation on the horizon, the people we send to School Committee this year will shape the district through one of its biggest transitions in decades.


This is the only contested race on the ballot. Three candidates—two incumbents and one newcomer—are running for two three-year seats. And while the ballot itself is light, Town Meeting on Monday, May 11 will cover a substantial warrant, including budget articles that directly affect the schools. Both the warrant and the ballot deserve your attention.


Town Meeting: Monday, May 11, 2026 at 7:00 PM in the Holliston High School Auditorium. Election Day: Tuesday, May 19, 2026, polls open 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM at the Holliston High School gymnasium.


There's also a third School Committee seat that won't appear on the ballot. Following the resignation of Joe Paru, his seat will be filled by appointment after the election for a one-year term, expiring at the May 2027 town election. Per Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 41, Section 11, the appointment is made jointly by the remaining School Committee members and the Select Board.


If you've been thinking about getting more involved in the schools, this is a real opportunity. Watch for the official call for applications from the School Committee after May 19, and consider stepping up. And if a one-year appointment isn't right for you, the same seat — along with two others — will be on the ballot at the May 2027 town election. Holliston needs a deep bench of community members willing to serve, and there's no better time to start preparing than now.


To help you prepare for the contested race, Diverse Holliston invited all three School Committee candidates to sit down for an interview on our podcast, Coffee & Community, where we ask about budget priorities, equity and inclusion, decision-making, community engagement, and how candidates approach repair when relationships get strained. All three accepted, and we're grateful to each of them for the time and thoughtfulness they brought to the conversation. Episodes are lightly edited for length and clarity; full recordings and AI-generated transcripts are available on request.


For Town Meeting, our Equity Guide to the May 2026 Holliston Town Meeting walks through the warrant article by article with an equity and inclusion lens, plus a reckoning with unfinished business from past warrants. HCAT's Just Thinking episode walking through the warrant is also a great primer, and our Equity & Inclusion Voting Guide remains a useful companion as you think through your choice.


School Committee

Three Year Term, Vote for Two

Jess Ommen


Sarah Fitzgerald (Incumbent)


Dan Alfred (Incumbent)

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