Portland to hold vote recount on Board of Selectmen seat

PORTLAND — Democrats retained control of the town government for the next two years as a result of Tuesday’s voting.

But a mandatory recount has been ordered in the race to fill the final seat on the Board of Selectmen.

Incumbent First Selectman Susan S. Bransfield was easily reelected to a ninth term Tuesday, turning back challenges from two thirdparty candidates.

In the selectman’s race, Democrat Andrea Alfano trails Republican Michael Hernandez by nine votes, 1,295 for Hernandez to 1,286 for Alforno.

Under state law, any race in which the difference is 20 or fewer votes triggers an automatic recount, Town Clerk Ryan J. Curley said Wednesday.

He expected the result of the recount to be completed soon.

Whoever wins the race will be the only nonincumbent to be elected to the sevenmember Board of Selectmen.

Bransfield – with 1.821 votes – turned back challenges from Shaun Manning, with 719 votes running on the Back2Basics party line, and Lambros Lambrinides, with 171 votes running on the American Independent Party.

Democratic incumbents Louis J. Pear (1,360), James K. Tripp (1,439) and Ralph R. Zampano (1,455) were all easily reelected as were their Republican colleagues Michael Pelton (1,387) and Edward J. Sharr Jr. (1,330).

Two incumbent Board of Education members, Meg Scata and Laurel A. Steinhauser were reelected to the board, as was political newcomer, and fellow Democrat, Lauren G. Christensen.

Curley said the recount for the Alfano/Hernandez race is no simple matter. The state sets the requirements for who will take part in the recount, Curley said.

They include the two registrars of voters (one from each major party, Democrats and Republicans), as well the moderator, at least two poll works (again, one from each party), two absentee ballot counters (same) and two ballot clerks (same), as well as Curley in his role as town clerk.

Meanwhile, including Election Day registrations, the number of residents who were eligible to vote on Tuesday was 6,310 people.

Of that number, 2,903 voted, a 46 percent turnout, Curley said.

Bransfield said Wednesday she was “humbled” by being returned to office for a ninth time.

She thanked her supporters but also her opponents both for running and presenting residents with a choice but also for running “clean campaigns.”

“I’m very appreciative of all the people who ran,” she said.

She thought she had run a good campaign and had gotten her message out to the voters, “But you never know who the winners will be until the results are read out.”

In the upcoming two years, Bransfield said she intends to focus on seeing the Brainerd Place/Elmcrest mixeduse development to a successful completion.

She said she would also will focus on leaning up the 5.4acre riverfront site along the Connecticut River so that can then be put back on the tax rolls.

With the cooperation of the new board, Bransfield said she will work to bring new businesses to town while continuing to protect and promote the town’s existing businesses as well.

Contributed photo Incumbent First Selectman Susan S. Bransfield was easily reelected to a ninth term Tuesday, turning back challenges from two thirdparty candidates.