Vineyard voters go to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in the 2012 presidential election. And while the big draw is the race for president and large turnouts are expected here as elsewhere, Vineyard voters will also makes choices on a host of other state and local issues, from a close Massachetts Senate race to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission to medical marijuana.

Editor’s Note: Fourteen candidates are running for nine seats on the Martha’s Vineyard Commission. At least one and not more than two may be elected from each of the six towns. In interviews with the Gazette, candidates answered questions about the recent vote on the roundabout, the issue of whether the commission should review large houses as developments of regional impact, and the role of the commission on the Vineyard.

At 3 a.m. on Wednesday morning, Marlene DiStefano thought she might have to change her flight home. Her son, Jesse Sylvia, was nine hours into the 2012 World Series of Poker main event in Las Vegas, and the competition was still going strong.

“We were like, this is never going to end,” said Ms. DiStefano in a phone interview.

Hurricane Sandy is being characterized as the worst storm in recorded weather history to hit the Northeast, worse than the 1938 hurricane.

And while the Vineyard was at the outer edge of the huge, historic storm and escaped the most severe conditions, weather data provided by the National Weather Service shows that wind speed, storm surge and barometric pressure were near hurricane strength, even on the Island.

Editor’s Note: Five candidates appear on the ballot for seven seats on the Dukes County Commission. One write-in candidate has announced her candidacy. If no write-in qualifies for the seventh slot, the seat will be filled by appointment via the county commission and Dukes County clerk of courts Joseph E. Sollitto Jr. Write-in candidates must receive at least 25 votes to be considered. In interviews with the Gazette, the candidates answered questions about county management and its future role on the Island.

Tisbury town administrator John Bugbee has officially left his position at town hall, selectman Tristan Israel confirmed this week.

Mr. Bugbee served as town administrator for nine years. At the Sept. 4 selectmen’s meeting the board announced that Mr. Bugbee’s contract would not be renewed and that he would leave his post sometime in the months ahead.

Assistant town administrator Aase Jones will be acting town administrator, Mr. Israel said.