LEWISTON — A five-vote win for City Council turned into three.

Following a recount Thursday of the Ward 7 election results, Stephanie Gelinas was declared the winner by three votes, defeating incumbent Michael Marcotte 389-386.

Marcotte requested a recount after the initial tally Nov. 5 put Gelinas ahead by less than a 1% margin.

The preliminary results gave Gelinas 389 votes compared to 384 for Marcotte. The third candidate, Kaitlyn Meagan Rourke, collected 140.

During the recount Thursday, Marcotte picked up two votes. City Clerk Kathy Montejo said the votes came from polling locations, not absentee ballots.

She said for those two ballots, someone may have not properly filled in the oval or had an extra pen mark.

The Ward 7 race was the only one in Lewiston with more than two candidates. In three of the seven races, there was only one contender.

There are no other recounts scheduled in either Lewiston or Auburn. Candidates have five business days after the election to request one.

There were roughly 15 volunteers on hand Thursday morning at City Hall to conduct the recount, with Montejo overseeing the process.

Following an announcement of the results, some in attendance congratulated Gelinas.

Gelinas is the executive director and a speech-language pathologist at Sandcastle Clinical & Educational Services and LA Hearing Center.

She is a former chairperson of the LA Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce board of directors and serves as board member on the Tri-County Mental Health Services board of directors and on the Health Advisory Committee for Promise Early Learning Education Center.

Marcotte, elected to the City Council in 2017, is an accountant. While on the council he served on the Finance Committee and he previously served on the Planning Board and Androscoggin County Budget Committee.

The day after the election, a Facebook page called “Save Michael Marcotte Ward 7 City Councilor” began posting about the recount, stating, “We are confident after the recount he will win. Councilor Marcotte is fighting to keep our seat and we need to support him!”

The page claimed that due to Marcotte’s conservative views, “Control of the city council hinges on this outcome if it will be Republicans or liberal Democrats again.”

Following the recount Thursday, the page posted that, “Potentially challenged ballots could overturn the result and save Councilor Marcotte. Stay tuned! The Secretary of State should take a look at this race.”

Montejo said Thursday that part of a recount is reviewing challenged ballots, and two challenged ballots had been reviewed. She said representatives for both candidates signed off on the results following the recount and had no issues. Kim Pettengill, a seasoned recount specialist for the Maine Republican Party, served as Marcotte’s representative.

Montejo said the Secretary of State’s office does not have oversight over municipal elections, and that any further action would be in the court system.

“It’s done as far as I’m concerned,” she said.

The Lewiston City Council will see some turnover in 2020.

Safiya Khalid in Ward 1 became the first Somali-American to be elected to the council. She will replace Jim Lysen, who did not seek re-election.

In Wards 2, 3 and 4, Councilors Zack Pettengill, Alicia Rea and Michel Lajoie retained their seats.

In Ward 5, School Committee member Luke Jensen will fill Mayor Kristen Cloutier’s former seat.

In Ward 6, Kerryl Lee Clement will fill the seat now held by Joline Landry-Beam, who did not seek re-election.

« Previous

Next »

Related Stories