RUMFORD — Incumbent Selectman Jeff Sterling and former Selectman Mark Belanger got the nod from voters on Tuesday for three-year terms in a six-way race for two selectmen seats.
Sterling received 571 votes and Belanger got 751 votes. Tallies for the other candidates were: Incumbent Jolene Lovejoy, 567 votes; and challengers James Windover, 551 votes; Patrick A. Ryan, 235 votes; and Candice Casey, 87 votes.
Town Clerk Beth Bellegarde said early Wednesday morning that Belanger got 749 votes and Windover got 550 votes, but those numbers were considered unofficial. After an official count later Wednesday afternoon, Belanger had gained two votes and Windover one vote. Results for the other candidates remained the same.
Bellegarde also said that Windover was considering asking for a recount on the 20-vote difference with Sterling.
In uncontested municipal races, Town Clerk and Treasurer Beth Bellegarde was reelected, as was Tax Collector and Constable Thomas B. Bourret; and for write-ins, Incumbent Craig Chamberlain won the assessor seat if he wants it, Bellegarde said, and Jennifer LeDuc won election to the RSU 10 School Board.
After the votes for municipal officials were tallied, selectmen held their annual reorganizational meeting, Bellegarde said at 12:55 a.m. Friday.
Ballot clerks and Bellegarde were waiting for the meeting to end to resume counting tallies on the town meeting referendum and RSU 10 School Budget, because Selectmen Greg Buccina, Brad Adley and Frank DiConzo are ballot wardens.
A high voter turnout Tuesday, leading to a large number of ballots and not enough voting machines, combined to create long lines at the polls in the American Legion Hall.
-
- Mark Belanger elected
-
- Jeff Sterling reelected
Send questions/comments to the editors.
