If the numbers hold out , Little Compton will soon see something it has not in decades — a Democratic majority on the town council. However, an untold number of ballots still need to be …
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If the numbers hold out, Little Compton will soon see something it has not in decades — a Democratic majority on the town council. However, an untold number of ballots still need to be counted and in a tight race for the final seat, those votes could have an impact.
As it stands, residents voted to send incumbent Republicans Robert Mushen and Gary Mataronas back for another term, along with incumbent Democrats Patrick A. McHugh and Andrew Wilder Iriarte Moore. Democrat Victoria Talbot also won a seat on the council as a newcomer, giving the Democrats an apparent 3-2 majority.
Iriarte Moore finished in fifth place, securing the last seat just nine votes ahead of Republican incumbent Paul Golembeske. He said he was excited to see the numbers in his favor as earlier, incomplete results showed him losing his seat on the council.
“When I was watching the numbers come in last night, I saw how close it was between me, Paul and Victoria. But I knew there were about 240 outstanding ballots. I was excited to see how they came in for me and Victoria.”
As for the blue shift on the town’s governing board, he said: “I’m excited to see what we can do.”
On Wednesday morning, Golembeske said he respects the results and if it’s up to him, will not seek a recount though he trails by less than 10 votes.
“No, it’s been 22 years” on the council, he said. “We’ll see how they (the Democrats) do.”
“Optimistically, I wish there were nine more votes out there. If the party wants me to (contest), I will, but I don’t think so. The people who count these votes are our friends, our neighbors, on both sides. I trust the result.”
Unofficial results (not including an unknown number of ballots that Town Clerk officials confirmed still need to be counted Wednesday):
In
Robert L. Mushen: 1,326 votes (12.5 percent)
Patrick McHugh: 1,270 votes (12 percent)
Gary Mataronas: 1,256 votes (11.8 percent)
Victoria G. Talbot: 1,237 votes (11.7 percent)
Andrew Wilder Iriarte Moore: 1,170 votes (11 percent)
Out
Paul Goelmbeske: 1,161 votes (10.9 percent)
Maureen Rego: 1,093 votes (10.3 percent)
Martina A. Halsey: 1,040 votes (9.8 percent)
Scott Lewis: 1,031 votes (9.7 percent)
Write-ins: 23