BELCHERTOWN — In counting that came down to the wire, voters at town election on Monday approved a $2.9 million Proposition 2½ override by a mere 21 votes, according to unofficial results compiled Tuesday morning.

The votes — 2,146 “Yes” to 2,125 “No” — show just how divided town residents were leading up to the election over whether to raise property taxes beyond the legal limit primarily to support the public schools and prevent considerable layoffs and a school closure.

Town Clerk Theresa Camerlin posted on Facebook on Tuesday morning that she will need a few days to certify the election results due to the large amount of write-in candidates in multiple races. She said that the ballot numbers for the override vote will not change, though advised residents that they can request a recount if desired.

“When someone’s name is written in on a ballot, that ballot must be manually counted and with hundreds of different names for each race, the names must be totaled and candidates contacted to see if they accept the position,” Camerlin wrote. “This is going to be a very labor intensive process until we can certify the election and declare winners in every race.”

While the override vote results allows Belchertown to raise the tax levy limit past 2.5%, residents will now need to approve the proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 that includes the additional $2.9 million at Town Meeting. That vote will take place on Saturday, May 31, at 8:30 a.m. at Belchertown High School.

Meanwhile, the Select Board race between three residents for two seats was also close, with 215 votes separating the top vote-getter and the third place finisher. The top two finishers were newcomer Jonathan Ritter and incumbent Jennifer Turner. Angela Battle finished third.

Camerlin said Monday that there was a steady stream of voters throughout the day. The Gazette estimates voter turnout hovered around 36%.

“That’s probably because of the override question,” she said yesterday. “It’s bringing more people out than usual.”

Residents on social media are already clamoring for a recount due to the close results. Any resident who wants to make such a request can obtain four recount petitions — one for each precinct — at the Town Clerk’s office. Each petition must have 10 signatures, one of which received notarization, before the Board of Registrars can schedule a recount date.

“In the meantime, we will continue to work on certifying the remaining races and will have the official results just as soon as we possibly can,” Camerlin writes.

The $2,894,400 override would go toward the base level-service budgets for fiscal 2026, including $1.6 million for the schools, $198,244 for the town, and $500,000 for capital projects. In addition, the override will provide $437,000 for six firefighters’ salaries when the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant expires next February. An additional $57,920 will keep the town’s grant manager and $65,000 will go toward the ambulance lease.

Residents can calculate the monetary impact of the override using a digital calculator on the town’s website. The average home in Belchertown will pay an additional $420 to $540 in property taxes annually if the override passes.

The override vote has dominated local politics over the past three months when Superintendent Brian Cameron announced that the school department’s budget shortfall would cut over 30 positions and close Cold Springs School.

While one group in town supports the override to avoid these cuts, the other side warns that any further increase in their property taxes will put personal financial stability in jeopardy.

“I hope people are thinking about the retired folks that live in town that are on fixed incomes,” resident Ron Gouin said. “We’ve got to keep thinking about that, because this is a retirement community, too.”

A lifelong Belchertown resident, Gouin is considering retirement with his wife Beth Gouin. They currently run a cattle farm on their property, a hobby they planned to continue. The increased taxes, however, may hinder those plans from becoming a reality.

However, without the necessary funding, Rebecca Doris said, Belchertown Schools may loose their accreditation like her high school in Bridgewater, Massachusetts did in 2009. For half a year, she went home early because the school couldn’t fund positions for a full day after the town voted down a Proposition 2½ override.

“We’re somewhat new to town specifically,” Scott Wade said, who came to vote with Doris. “I grew up in a nearby town and music programs would be cut after I left because of budget cuts. So I imagine some of those struggles might be similar here.”

Emilee Klein can be reached at eklein@gazettenet.com.