Question Four Fails By a Wide Margin

Five of Six Island Towns Reject Plan to Give Selectmen Appointing Power Over Vineyard Steamship Governor

By JONATHAN BURKE

Perhaps sensing outside meddling, perhaps seeking to maintain an established power structure, Islanders Tuesday voted to keep the power to appoint the Vineyard Steamship Authority (SSA) governor with the Dukes County Commission.

Mandate Reinforces Mission of the MVC

Vineyard Voters Back Nine Candidates with Clear Commitment to Support Unique Role of Regional Agency

By JULIA WELLS

Marking a fresh mandate to stay the course, Vineyard voters elected a solid slate of conservation-minded candidates - including six incumbents - to the Martha's Vineyard Commission this week. And for the second time in two years, two respected Island farmers were the top vote-getters in the election for the regional land use commission.

Islanders without health insurance will receive an invitation to band together next year in a community-based plan that aims to open the doors to a comprehensive health care system now out of reach for one-fifth of the Vineyard's 15,000 year-round residents.

But many doctors and health care agencies worry that the plan may tip the already fragile financial balance of caring for patients under a paperwork-laden and reimbursement-stingy health maintenance organization system.

State and Local Elections Draw Large Turnout of Vineyard Voters

By JULIA WELLS
Gazette Senior Writer

In a characteristic display of Island independence, voters on Martha\'s Vineyard turned out in large numbers this week to throw strong support to Shannon O\'Brien for governor, reject an outside initiative to change the way their Steamship Authority governor is appointed and elect a solid slate of conservation-minded Islanders to the Martha\'s Vineyard Commission.

In a characteristic display of Island independence, voters on Martha's Vineyard turned out in large numbers this week to throw strong support to Sh

On This Election Day: Votes for the Farmers and Against the State

By JULIA WELLS

They went to the polls in large numbers on a sparkling autumn day. They said they liked two farmers best for the Martha's Vineyard Commission. They said they were unhappy with the outside meddling of the state legislature and the city of New Bedford when it came to the Steamship Authority.

They got involved.