Just before noon on election day, a steady stream of poll workers, city officials and voters flowed out of Franklin’s Elks Lodge Tuesday afternoon due to a suspected gas leak.
They joined those campaigning outside, holding signs in support of either Robert Desrochers Jr. or Tim Johnston, as firefighters cleared the building for safety.
The two sides stood side by side, conversing with voters and with one another. It was a momentary display of patience and unity that some voters in New Hampshire’s smallest city would like to see more frequently. Melissa Williams, a Ward 1 resident, said she hopes the candidates she voted for will not only listen to citizens but also find compromises.
“I hope they’re just really thoughtful about listening to everybody’s ideas and really coming up with some solutions, not just putting off things,” she said. “So I’m really hopeful that they’re thoughtful about what they’re voting on, and that they’re coming up with resolutions to help.”
Melissa Williams, a Ward 1 resident, she hopes the candidates she voted for will not only listen to citizens but also find compromises. Credit: GEOFF FORESTER / For the Monitor 
Franklin firefighters walk into the Elks voting location on South Main Street in Franklin after the fire chief smelled gas while he came into vote on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. GEOFF FORESTER / For the Monitor 
Franklin vet Dr. Barry Taylor says hello to Voting greeter Myla Everett at the Elks voting place on South Main Street in Franklin on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. GEOFF FORESTER / For the Monitor 
Incumbent Tim Johnston holds a sign outside the voting place at the Elks on South Main Street in Franklin on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
Voters in Franklin’s municipal election trickled slowly in the morning, relaying concerns around the city’s tax cap, infrastructure upgrades and school funding.
Desrochers Jr. faces off against Johnston, the incumbent, in Ward 1’s city council race and Lily Johnson and John Demakowski vie for the school board seat. Johnston said he would keep Franklin’s tax cap, which has been in place since 1989, and treat the city’s budget the same as a household budget: staying within its means.
“We’ve talked about having an adjustment mechanism in the tax cap, and we’re working on trying to change that,” he said. “… I think that’s a direction that we need to go because obviously the tax cap staying like it is, we don’t need enough money over time. So I do believe that.”
Funding to fix the roads and to run the school district were both important issues for Patrick McCall and his mother Colleen Murray. McCall said there should be more transparency on where taxpayer dollars go, especially as they continue to raise.
“In that generational spread, it’s almost like they’re okay keeping things the status quo, and you know they’re still saying their taxes are too high currently, and they don’t want the tax cap raised,” said the 37-year-old. “But I think it’s an educational problem where they’re not quite understanding where taxes can be spent to better their town.”
Over in Ward 2, voters cast ballots at Franklin High School for Emily Bieber Harris, Glen Feener or Raymond Yonaitis for city councilor, who is taking over from Susan Hallett-Cook. Debbi and Michael Gray moved to Franklin two years ago from Sanbornton and have been avid local shoppers to help boost the city’s downtown growth.
In addition to attracting businesses to Franklin, Debbi said she had a teaching background and would like to see the school district be prioritized for funding.
“I just think Franklin could use a little bit of a boost,” she said. “So I’m hoping the people I vote for can bring it in that direction.”
Bruce Marshall, a former city councilor who lost to Benjamin Forge last year, campaigned outside for Yonaitis. Marshall said he believed Yonacoulds can help the city by looking for ways to maximize profit while still maintaining the tax cap.
“I’m just sick of Franklin getting worse and worse every year, and I think Ray in Ward 2 is the better suitor to help turn things around and try to weed out a lot of the corruption that just continues to go on,” he said.
Ward 3 has uncontested races for both the city council and school board. Stephanie Wolff is the sole city council candidate on the ballot, filling Ed Privé’s spot, and Lillian Machos is the only school board choice.
Machos, who ran for city councilor last year and was lost to Justine Hoppe, came to vote at Franklin Middle School in the early morning and said she would like to be the voice students need from Ward 3. She said she does not like opportunities from the schools to be stripped away and would like to see how other municipalities take care of their budgets and see if Franklin can implement them creatively.
“Every dollar needs to have a purpose before it’s spent,” she said.
Some voters cited a concerted effort to write in Privé’s name and keep him on the council. Privé said he supported the idea, adding that he advocates for the First Amendment right to free speech and choice.
“If I win this election, that tells me the citizens and taxpayers of Ward 3 wanted me back,” he said.
Judith Ackerson supported Wolff because she has worked with her in various roles over the six years Wolff has lived in Franklin. She is a behavior interventionalist at Franklin High School and formerly served as program director of Franklin Partners in Prevention until it was dissolved in August 2025.
On her Facebook page, Wolff indicated she would advocate for school funding, protect vulnerable residents struggling with the cost of living and strengthen economic development.
“I feel that even though it’s not really a contested election, it’s important to show support for someone who’s willing to put the work in, and that we believe, I believe … that she’s a very intelligent, deep thinker,” Ackerson said.
Polls closed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and results will appear on the city’s website by the end of the day. Visit concordmonitor.com to see the results on our website.
