Every vote counts, especially in small town politics.
Incumbent selectman Bob Fleming pulled off an eleven vote win over challenger Frank Aniello in the annual town election. The race for selectman was the only contested race on the ballot. Fleming won with 568 votes to Aniello’s 557. Town Clerk Kelly McElreath had originally announced it was a 13 vote spread at 8:30 last night but later reported two ballots had not been read by the machine and those vote were for Aniello.
Fleming ran on his 27 year record as a selectman, the development of the strategic plan for Upton, giving a voice to residents, and his support of education. Aniello focused his campaign on reducing the tax rate and bringing small town politics back to town hall.
Treasurer Collector Ken Glowacki kept his seat with 805 votes. He had faced a last-minute write-in challenger, Tricia Howel. There were 105 write-ins for the seat, write-in names were not available.
No results were available for the one year school committee seat which was blank on the ballot; there were 123 write-ins.
The town saw about a 23% turn out for their annual town election with a total of 1131 voters, which is higher than usual.
Later this week the town will hold it’s annual town meeting on Thursday, May 7th and the ballot vote for the prop 2 1/2 override will take place on May 18 if voters so decide.
For election results click here.
UPTON DAILY 
This was a great victory for Bob Fleming. He took a stance on the override which he knew wouldn’t be popular with some of the older voters who tend to be the strongest voice in this type of election. His opponent’s wife owns a well attended dance school in town, both Anniello and his wife are well known/popular. Aniello was the favorite and was predicted to win in a landslide just based on name recognition and his involvement in the men’s club and support he was predicted to receive from dance parents, former dance parents, and former students. Aniello was also predicted to get a lot of the older vote because he came out against the schools override.
Certainly not a ringing endorsement for the incumbent, Mr. Fleming. Interesting, given his time in the position.