Election Results 'Interesting' Town Clerk Says

The results are in, and Tuesday's local election cost the town $16 per vote, according to Town Clerk Anita Tekle. There are 12,000 registered voters in town, and 742 turned out.

In the one contested race, K.C. Winslow edged out Stephen Newbold for a seat on the Housing Authority by 33 votes, 289 for Winslow and 256 for Newbold. Winslow also beat a second challenger, Anita Barker who got 171 votes. Tekle said each of the Housing Authority candidates won in their own precinct, making it a close race.

Jeff Wieand was reelected as selectman with 607 votes; Eric Van Loon is moderator for another year with 635 votes; and Pam Gannon was reelected to the School Committee with 617 votes, each in uncontested races.

"The turnout was a pathetic 6 percent -- only 742 voters," said Tekle. "That comes out to about $16 per vote. Cost of a local election is around $12,000."

She said turnout was poor all over town, although the race for Housing Authority was "interesting, and relatively close."

"Each of the three candidates won somewhere – Anita Barker won in Precinct 3 (where she lives), Stephen Newbold won in Precincts 1 and 2 (he lives in Precinct 2), and KC Winslow won in 4 and 5 (she lives in Precinct 5)," said Tekle.

"Not much to say, other than the fact that the turnout was disappointing," she said.