Ward 7 Recount Is On: Ryan Williams Requests Double-Check

MELROSE, MA — Ryan Williams has requested a recount following his four-vote loss to Cory Thomas for the Ward 7 City Council seat. Williams said on his Facebook page the recount could be finished by Thanksgiving.

Thomas beat Williams, 697-693, Tuesday night in the most tightly contested race of the election. There were two write-in votes and 94 ballots left the vote blank.

Williams said the blank ballots are"the primary reason for the hand recount." Ballots filled out with different marks can sometimes be read by the machine as blank.

Williams also said nine of the 83 absentee ballots were no received by the close of polls. Those nine ballots must have been postmarked by Nov. 5 to count.

Williams also said there were two provisional ballots that are being reviewed by the city and two write-in votes — though it's not likely the write-in votes are for Williams or Thomas.

The Elections Office didn't respond to an email this week for more information about the recount process.

"With a four-vote difference on 1,392 ballots cast, we owe it to everyone to conduct a formal recount so we can be confident in the results," Williams told Patch Tuesday night. "Whatever the outcome of that process, I'm humbled and amazed that almost 700 people came out to the polls for me and I thank them all from the bottom of my heart for their time, their trust, and their courage."

Thomas expected a recount.

"I believe in the democratic process," he told Patch. "You don't have to win by a million votes, you only have to win by one vote. I won by four, as far as I'm concerned I'm the winner. I'll let the process play out but I'm prepared to represent Ward 7 as the next City Councilor. I congratulate him on a hard-fought race."

The two jostled to succeed President of the Board Scott Forbes in Ward 7. Williams told Patch before the election he was hoping to end what he said is an "insider culture we have in City Hall."