Thank you!
Even in a town the size of Amherst, it can be difficult for both residents and our elected representatives to keep track of all the issues, much less to understand how these issues may be connected.
We wanted to change that. Made up solely of Amherst volunteers, Amherst Forward began in 2018 to encourage and support candidates to run for our new town council who shared our 4 key priorities: balanced development, infrastructure to support town needs, deeper civic participation, and thriving public schools. Over the last 4 elections our priorities and work remained the same - we sought to identify and help elect thoughtful, pragmatic town councilors and to keep our electorate informed.
In June of 2026, Amherst Forward announced that we would wrap up operations over the coming months. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and resources to support the work of Amherst Forward, and to all the candidates, elected officials, and committee volunteers who keep stepping up to serve our town.
While this might be the end of one chapter, we are stepping back in hope that this motivates the next wave of Amherst residents to fill the void in some way - whether that's running for office, volunteering for a committee, or stepping into our footsteps. If you came here looking for ways to get involved or stay informed, here are a few links that might be useful:
Express your interest in serving on a board or committee
Voter information: register, find your polling place
Running for elected office in Amherst
If you have any questions please reach out to amherstforward@gmail.com