SOUTHWICK – In the only contested race for the Southwick Town Election, first-time challenger Chelsea Berry was deemed victorious to earn a spot on the school committee at the Southwick Town Hall on Tuesday night. Berry defeated incumbent Maria Seddon by a count of 427-391 votes. Seddon’s three year term expired this year and was up for re-election.
Standing outside the town hall when hearing the official results come out, Berry was at a loss for words, but ecstatic with the outcome.
“I’m really excited to have been a part of engaging the community and this conversation,” said Berry. “I hope to continue to engage our schools.”
Chelsea Berry is a challenger for the open seat on the Southwick school committee. (Photo from Chelsea Berry)
Within minutes of hearing the decision, Berry was already thinking about what she can do to wipe away some of the concerns people had when she was knocking on doors during her campaign.
“They’re mostly concerned about not being heard and not being understood by administration,” said Berry. “I think that we can give it to them.”
A math specialist at an elementary school in Longmeadow and a part of several committees in the Longmeadow School District, Berry believes that’ll only help her on the Southwick Regional school committee.
“My day to day work really gives me insight, I get to be involved in a lot of curriculum decisions,” said Berry. “I think having that experience will help me on a policy committee or curriculum committee.”
Berry is expected to be sworn in as a new member of the school committee at an upcoming meeting.
The overall town election on Tuesday saw 865 registered voters attend the town hall and vote. That’s the highest number of voters at a Southwick annual town election since 2013, when there was 1,279 voters.
