32-Vote Gap Triggers Middletown Education Board Recount

After last night's municipal elections produced just 32 votes separating two Democratic education board candidates, the town clerk has called for a recount.

Incumbent Middletown Board of Education member Franca Biales earned 3,567 votes on Tuesday, while newcomer Steven Kovach garnered 3,535. 

With four spots open on the board, the two Democratic candidates and highest vote-getters and the two highest GOP candidates won seats. The most number of candidates any party can have on a nine-member commission is six. 

Likewise, if the Republicans earned the most number of votes, all four would have been elected. 

And so, Democrat Vinnie Loffredo swept in to office with 3,869 votes. Biales, a high school teacher and mother of three, took second place in unofficial results late Tuesday. Republican Sheila Daniels kept her seat with 3,275 votes and newcomer, GOP member Linda Syznkowicz, earned a spot with 2,560.

When a vote is that close, according to Town Clerk Linda Bettencourt, she applies a formula which determines one-half of one percent of every vote cast in the election. If that number is 37 or less, she said, it triggers an automatic recount of all the education board candidates ballots as long as the individual with less votes agrees.

With Kovach willing, Bettencourt said, all eight board of education candidates, including absentee ballots, will be counted by hand in council chambers Friday at 8 a.m. The proceedings are open to the public.

Kovach, 22, who ran on a platform that youth are underrepresented in government, said he was pleased with how many residents supported his candidacy. "I didn't expect to get as many votes as I did. I don't think the numbers are going to change at the recount but I figured I might as well go ahead with it."

Since Veteran's Day, a federal holiday, is coming up on Nov. 11, Bettencourt said, she could have waited until as late as Nov. 12, which is when all candidates will be sworn into office, to hold a recount but decided against that. "We wanted to get it over and done with as soon as possible."

The swearing in of all newly elected officials will take place Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. at Woodrow Wilson Middle School. All are invited to attend.