Hillary Hedges Rayport Wins Close Planning Board Race

In the closest race of Tuesday's annual town election, Hillary Hedges Rayport narrowly won a one-year seat on the Nantucket Planning Board.

Rayport defeated island real estate broker Liza Hatton by just 50 votes, earning a seat on the board she has critiqued and questioned as an outsider for years.

"I’ve spent the last hour feeling ill to my stomach, the more I thought about what the decision was going to be," Rayport said from her post-election campaign party. "I’m grateful to all the people who supported me and made it possible for me to be in the election through their encouragement and support. I'm grateful to the community."

Rayport emphasized long-range planning, more inclusive decision-making, along with greater transparency and accountability during the campaign for the one-year term that resulted from John Trudel's resignation from the Planning Board in 2024.

"I think people were really well-informed when they made this choice," Rayport said. "They knew what I stood for, and the choice they had to make, and more people came out in choosing me. I hope I can live up to their expectations. This board serves the public. We’re here to serve the whole community."

Back in November 2023, Rayport's eligibility to vote on Nantucket was challenged by Linda Williams, who stated that Rayport is not a full-time resident of the island. While the Board of Registrars ultimately voted 3-0 to sustain her voting eligibility, questions about Rayport's residency status were raised by some island residents during this year's election campaign. In one of her final statements before the election, Rayport addressed those questions this way:

"Some have made much of the fact that I am a part-year resident. I split my time between Nantucket and Boston, and at this point in my life, I have no other choice. I have a 25-year history with this island, I’m here every month of the year, I’ve listened to all the Planning Board and NP&EDC meetings for years, no matter where I am."

The final vote on Tuesday was:

• Liza Hatton: 1,003
• Hillary Hedges Rayport: 1,053