KINGSTON — More than a third of the town's voters cast ballots at Town Hall yesterday, rejecting some of the big-money warrant articles.

Residents defeated $75,000 for the repair and maintenance of town buildings, 841 to 473, and $29,000 for the Fire Department's building replacement fund, 754 to 584. But voters approved the town's $4.3 million operating budget,

693 to 624, and decided, 1047 to 149, to spend $2,040 to support the Rockingham Nutrition and Meals on Wheels programs. Bettie Ouellette, who has been town clerk for 38 years, kept her position despite a challenge by Melissa Fowler - a race that drew many people to the polls. The vote was 793-608.

Campaigners for Melissa Fowler were shouted at outside Town Hall by a young man angry about letters to the editor sent by Fowler supporters. The man was swearing loudly, threatening the crowd of people on the Town Hall steps, witnesses said. Fire Lt. Bill Pellerin intervened.

"I just went over and got between them," he said. "I was just being a civil servant. I saw what was going on and did what I could to stop it."

After the incident, police Chief Donald Briggs explained what happened.

"There was a verbal confrontation between a voter and someone running for a post." he said. "I went outside as soon as I found out about it, but the young man had vacated the scene. We have since drawn statements from the complainants and we are looking into the incident."

In other races, incumbent Jay Alberts and Ernie Landry won three-year Planning Board seats. Alberts received 726 votes and Landry earned 608. They beat Mike Higgins, 502, and incumbent Daniel Mastroianni, 294.

There were 1,416 ballots cast in yesterday's elections - a turnout of 35 percent, Ouellette said.