Candidates Seek Recount In Arlington Town Election

ARLINGTON, MA — A community group is backing candidates' efforts for a recount in races for Select Board and Town Meeting in precincts 6 and 17. Petitioners are asking election officials to postpone certifying the results of the races until a recount is completed.

The Select Board race was decided by 88 votes, or less than 0.5 percent of the nearly 18,890 votes cast in the June 6 election. Lenard Diggins edged out fellow newcomer Michaiah Healy for a three-year seat on the Board, and Diane Mahon was re-elected.

The state recommends a recount when the margin is less than 1 percent.

Arlington Fights Racism, a citizen-led group that endorsed Healy, said Saturday it is assisting in the recount effort. The group said in addition to the closeness of the race, "voting irregularities" were observed at the polls. Among the group's claims were paper jams, counting errors and rejected ballots among the tabulating machines; residents receiving ballots for the wrong precinct; and ballots that were deposited in town drop boxes getting delivered to the wrong precincts.

"The combination of the closeness of the tally, voting machine malfunctions, and problems with ballot delivery, raises serious questions about the accuracy of the reported results," Arlington Fights Racism said in a statement.

The petitioner for a recount must get the signatures of 10 registered voters in each precinct where a recount is requested.

"At the heart of this request for a recount is election integrity," Healy said. "It is possible that the outcome of the recount will be the same. This recount petition is about professionalism and excellence in all that happens in town."