This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
11/08/2023 12:34 PMA recount of two Clinton municipal races has been scheduled for Sunday Nov. 12 at Clinton Town Hall at noon. The races that require a recount are between Carol Walter and Dennis Donovan for the last seat on the Town Council, as well as between Bruce Farmer and David Carroll for the last seat on the Police Commission.
According to Democratic Registrar of Voters June Hansen, state statutes require a recount in races where the final tally is within 20 votes. Two such cases occurred in Clinton as the results were read on election night.
The first race is between Republicans Donovan and Walter. Preliminary results show Donovan with a 10-vote lead of 1,658 votes to 1,648 votes. Both incumbents, the winner of the recount will retain their seat on the Town Council.
On Election Day, voters elected Republican incumbent Chris Aniskovich (1,941 votes), Democratic incumbent Hank Teskey (1,829 votes), and Democratic newcomer Brian Roccapriore (1,829 votes). The win by both Democrats flips the council from a Republican majority to a Democrat majority regardless of the outcome of the Walter and Donovan recount.
All four elected will serve a four-year term. They will join Republican Tom Hollinger, as well as Democrats Carrie Allen and Chris Passante on the Town Council for at least the next two years.
Hansen said that despite tying, Roccapriore and Teskey do not need a recount since they have enough votes that they will be seated no matter what.
Meanwhile, in the race for the last open seat on the Board of Police Commissioners, the race between Republicans Bruce Farmer and David Carroll will also need to be recounted. Preliminary results show that Farmer earned 1,587 votes compared to 1,568 votes for Carroll. The winner of the recount will join Democrat Paul Melanson (1,907 votes) as the winner of the race.
While recounts are rare in elections, it’s nothing new for Farmer. The last time there was a recount in Clinton was in 2015 in the race for First Selectmen between Farmer and Willie Fritz. After preliminary results showed a tie between the two candidates on Election Day, a recount showed Farmer won by a single vote. Farmer served as First Selectmen from 2015-’17.
The recount is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 12 at noon at Town Hall in the green room. The recount is open to the public.