AMHERST - Former Planning Board Chairman Aaron Hayden easily outdistanced three challengers to claim a seat on the Select Board at Tuesday's town elections.

With an unofficial 4,152 votes cast in his favor, Hayden more than doubled the vote totals of the other three contestants, with Vladimir Morales running in second with 2,491 votes, David Keenan in third with 812 votes and Calvin Brower trailing with 276 votes.

Hayden will replace Anne Awad, who resigned in August, and serve until next spring's annual elections, at which time he will have to run again for the full term.

Meanwhile, a ballot question to increase the surcharge for the Community Preservation Act from 1.5 percent to 3 percent narrowly failed, with 5,294 against and 5,122 in support. The nearly even split reflected the 2-2 split on the Select Board on the issue.