MONMOUTH – Voters elected Leonard Bates to a seat on the Board of Selectmen for the second time in four months Tuesday.

“I am certifying that Leonard Bates is the victor,” Town Manager Steve Dyer said after poll workers tallied the votes.

Turnout was considered high, with 554 people casting ballots.

In May, voters elected Bates to the board. He held the seat until a July 14 meeting. A resident had previously shown that Bates was registered to vote in two states when he was sworn into office, and selectmen decided his dual residency rendered his seat vacant. Bates rescinded his Florida voter registration shortly after he took office.

Bates can be sworn into office today and vote in tonight’s meeting.

Bates received 251 votes, topping Shirley Pogorelc’s tally of 111. Voters cast 108 ballots for Dennis Fournier and 71 for Darlene Beaulieu. The votes do not add up to 554 due to a handful of ineligible ballots and a write-in vote.

The total exceeded the 420 votes cast in the May election.

“That’s on the high side,” Dyer said of the May vote. Residents present at the announcement were impressed that Tuesday’s election attracted more voters that the May election.

There are 3,126 individuals on Monmouth’s voting rolls, excluding individuals who registered at the election.

Bates could not be reached for comment Tuesday evening.

Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the firehouse. Traffic issues, including speeding problems on Main Street and engine brake complaints, are on the agenda.

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