2 Waltham City Councilor Races To Get Recounted

WALTHAM, MA — There will be two recounts in Waltham Saturday. For the first time in recent memory not one but two city council candidates are holding recounts after tight races on Election Day.

State law allows candidates to petition for a recount no matter the margin of the initial count in municipal elections.

In Ward 2, where the city is working to build a new, multi-million dollar high school, Caren Dunn squeaked onto the council, 10 votes ahead of Bill Hanley. There were three write-in votes and 42 people left the ballot blank with 1,441 voting. Hanley said he expected the results to stay much the same, but felt with such a close race, he had to make sure he did due diligence for the hundreds who supported him. He submitted a request for a hand recount on Nov. 13.

In Ward 6, Sean Durkee upset incumbent Sharline Nabulime by 59 votes. Nabulime submitted her request for a hand recount on Nov. 15.

Some 538 voted for Durkee, and 479 voted for Nabulime. Three people wrote in and 60 left the ballot blank. A total of 1,080 cast ballots were there.

At 8:30 a.m., the election board will take the Ward 2 and Ward 6 sealed ballot containers from the vault at City Hall. Waltham Police will escort them to the Clark Government Center Auditorium, where the recount for Ward 2 and Ward 6 will be.

Candidates can have representatives present to observe the transfer process and the counting.

Counters will hand count ballots for Ward 2 in blocks of 50 votes and once the recounting is done for that ward, the counting will begin for Ward 6, according to the city.

City Clerk Robert Waddick said it's been a while since there was a race in the city so close, and although it's unlikely much will change, it's a candidate's right to ask for one.

"Ward 2 race was really, really close," he said.

The last recount was several years ago in reference to the community preservation act.

Related:

Waltham 2019 Election Results: Mayor McCarthy In, Logan Out
Waltham's Biggest Issue, According To City Council Candidates
Waltham Mayoral Candidates McCarthy, LeBlanc Face Off In Debate
Turnout is Up in Waltham
Councilor Elect Paz Among Youngest In Waltham

Waltham Candidate Bill Hanley Calls For Recount

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).