Lafuente's loss recounted

by Matthew Kaplan

The incumbent alderman-at-large who in the Nov. 6 municipal election finished fourth in the race for four at-large seats survived the Dec. 1 recount the fifth place finisher requested.

Nicholas Salerno

Bruce M. Desmond officially defeated Tony Lafuente, the owner of East Somerville’s Flagraphics and a 2003 candidate for mayor, after a recount Dec. 1 at City Hall, said Nicholas Salerno, the city’s election commission’s chairman, who made the announcement at 4:47 p.m. Salerno had been keeping track of the changing vote totals on a large white board placed at the side of the Aldermanic Chamber.

The recount results remain unofficial until reviewed and certified by the Secretary of Commonwealth, he said.

“I’m happy to be around to do it for the next two years,” Desmond said after the announcement.

“This is a testament to the professionalism of the city’s election workers,” he said. “This was a classy room: everyone behaved well and worked well together I couldn’t be more pleased with the quality of the results.”

Lafuente asked for a recount after finishing 38 votes behind fourth place finisher Desmond in the Nov. 6 alderman at large election.

Salerno said the recount resulted in no change the order of finish for the six candidates. I n addition to   Desmond retaining his seat, he picked up 13 votes to increase his margin from 38 to 51 with a final total of 4,860. Lafuente also picked up votes, bringing his total vote from 4,796 to 4,809.

“I want to thank the election department for all of the work that they have done – nothing but professionalism from the moment we impounded the ballots on election night to the finish of today’s process,” said Lafuente, who made remarks at the end of the recount.

Lafuente said he had been concerned about ballots from his supporters incorrectly marked, such as with circles around his name instead of filled in circle next to his name.

Lafuente’s attorney Haskell A. Kassler said some of the confusion over the circle ballots could be accredited to a Lafuente campaign mailing showing a mock ballot with Lafuente’s name circled on it.
The one contested ballot in Ward 5 was the only circle ballot of the recount and it was awarded to Lafuente.

Besides potential issues with circle votes, Lafuente said decided to ask for a recount because the margin, a figure he cited as a thousandth of a percentage point, between he and Desmond made it worthwhile to try.

“When you’re this close, you owe it to everybody in the race, and everyone in the city, to go through this process – with all of its transparency and professionalism. I’m very proud of the work we put into this,” he said.

Out of 10,430 votes cast, recount observers only challenged three ballots. Election judges disqualified a ballot in Ward 2 after they found out a voter never showed proof of residence. The next two occurred in Ward 5. One ballot had the correct marking connecting the arrow, but the ballot also had an “X” in the same location. Recount officials awarded that ballot to Lafuente.

Kassler, Lafuente’s attorney, said the law allows any marking indicating voter intent to be counted.

Also in Ward 5, one voter had correctly filled out the ballot for the mayoral race but only circled
Lafuente’s name. Again, recount officials awarded the ballot to Lafuente.

“It has to be something significant,” Kassler said. “It’s a classic example of what the law allows. We all know it’s a good ballot.”

Most of the changed votes resulted from hand inspection of ballots previously machine counted as “write-in” or “blank. Only three ballots out of 10,430 cast were disputed by representatives of the Lafuente or Desmond campaign, Salerno said.

Desmond said before the recount he thought the 38-vote margin would stand.

“The type of machine we have in place doesn’t make many mistakes,” he said. “For 38, it’s a stretch.”
Lafuente said the changes in the election results due to the recount showed some flaws in the current system. “This just proves that there are errors in the process.”

Along with revealing errors, the recount process added transparency and accuracy to the election, he said.

The last recount in an alderman at large election occurred in 1999, when two votes separated Desmond and William A. White Jr. after the general election.

All six at-large increased their totals in the recount, Salerno said. Incumbent John M. “Jack”  Connolly increasing from 5,454 to 5,472; incumbent Dennis M. Sullivan from 5,136 to 5,165; incumbent White from 5,375 to 5,396 and challenger Fred Berman from 3,908 to 3,921.

Any candidate can request a recount to verify election results, said Thomas P. Champion, the mayor’s communications director. 

For the recount, both candidates had to hire attorneys. The city had to pay extra for the election officials, police officers and Department of Public Works to work at the recount, along with paying food expenses, he said. The recount to cost about $20,000.

In addition to the city employees paid to be at the recount, some city officials came to informally observe the recount, including Connolly and the Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. Sullivan came as an official recount observer on Desmond’s behalf.

Lafuente said he has no animosity and thought the recount was flawless and that he plans to run for an at-large seat again in 2009.

Kassler said the recount results will not be challenged in court. “There is the end of a ballgame.”