Biking Brookline 2026 Town Election Information

Please vote in the Town’s May 5, 2026 election to make Brookline better for bicycling!

Select Board

Biking Brookline has rated the three Select Board candidates (who are running for two seats) in a scorecard which contains a star rating and a brief summary of each candidate’s position on key bicycling issues. The ratings represent the unanimous opinion of the Biking Brookline Board of Directors and are based on each candidate’s record and response to the BIking Brookline Candidate Questionnaire. Below the scorecard, you will find a brief narrative adding some additional perspective on each candidate, and, below that, the candidates’ replies to the Biking Brookline Questionnaire.  

Candidate Scorecard

You can read the full candidate scorecard, which includes candidate positions on specific issues, at this link.  

Additional Biking Brookline Perspective on the Candidates

Amanda Zimmerman has made safer streets for all one of the four cornerstones of her campaign.  In her roles as a Town Meeting Member and a member of the Brookline Bicycle Advisory Committee, she has a long history of working to make Brookline’s bicycling infrastructure safer.  She has been a consistent supporter of the Washington Street Project, the Beacon Street Bridleway, protected bike lanes on Chestnut Hill Avenue, and the South Brookline to BHS Bicycle Access Plan.  As a parent who sometimes gets around Brookline with her children on a cargo bike, she has first hand experience of using our public ways on bicycle.

Anthony Buono, like Amanda, has made roadway safety one of the four cornerstones of his campaign. He recognizes the need for infrastructure changes to consider the needs of small businesses. His views on this are influenced by studies showing that protected infrastructure can increase foot traffic and attract more customers.  He promises to follow a data-driven approach to infrastructure changes, as he did on the Washington Street Complete Streets Project, where he helped persuade fellow Town Meeting Members that the project would not hurt businesses and had the potential to be good for local businesses.

John VanScoyoc actively opposes implementation of safe bicycling infrastructure. While his previous Select Board campaign platforms claimed support for safe bicycling infrastructure, he was the only member of the Board to vote against the Washington Street Project, and he is the only member of the Board seeking a pause in the Beacon Street Bridleway Project. John refused to meet with Biking Brookline to discuss the Washington Street Project. In his anti-bicycling efforts, he has allied with certain stakeholders while shutting out other members of our community, and he has indicated how he will vote on bicycling issues before there has been an opportunity for public comment.  In his remarks at pubiic meetings, he does not acknowledge the strong public support for, and the data showing the value of, protected bike lanes.  His conduct has made it impossible to engage in collaborative discussions that would lead to roadway safety improvements that maximize benefits for our community.

Biking Brookline Questionnaire and Candidate Responses

Biking Brookline asked all three Select Board candidates to respond to a questionnaire. You can read the Select Board responses to the Biking Brookline Questionnaire at this link.

School Committee and Town Meeting

Biking Brookline asked all four School Committee candidates (who are running for three seats) to respond to a questionnaire about how children get to school. You can read the replies from all four candidates at this link.

The Town Meeting member questionnaire asked the same questions