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Home : News : News : Top Stories
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Bridgewater Primary Vote to Be Recounted
By: Jack Coraggio
09/18/2009
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Though initial counts in the Democratic primary Tuesday in Bridgewater indicate that Board of Finance incumbent George Allingham failed in his bid to reclaim the party nomination, the tally was close enough to dictate a state-mandated recount.

Mr. Allingham, who has served about 20 years on the finance board, earned 135 votes, while Lori Franklin received 140 and Nancy Hawley 178.
According to Town Clerk Cheryl Pinkos, because the margin between Ms. Franklin and Mr. Allingham was less than 20 votes, "a recount has to be done within the next five days."
Since Ms. Hawley received 38 more votes than Ms. Franklin, she will not be subject to a recount.
In the other Democratic primary race, for the Planning and Zoning Commission seat, incumbent Jean Bandler defeated caucus nominee Wayne Khare 149 to 115.
Mr. Allingham and Ms. Bandler petitioned for a primary vote after they were not nominated at the Democratic caucus in July.
Mr. Allingham has publicly suggested he didn't get the nomination because First Selectman Bill Stuart dissuaded others from voting for him, as Mr. Allingham had questioned "the legality and propriety of [Mr. Stuart's] use of town funds."
Mr. Stuart called Mr. Alling­ham's assertions "false" and "misleading." But Mr. Allingham and finance board chairman Colin Brown, who is not seeking re-election, hired outside counsel to review the Board of Selectmen's distributions from the charitable Burnham Fund.
Ms. Bandler, the wife of Republican Town Committee chairman Ned Bandler, previously said she believes she didn't earn a nomination because her land-use decisions have been too non-partisan.
In spite of winning the primary, the 10-plus-year land-use board member admitted to "feeling mixed."
"I'm very sad the town and the finance committee have lost an honest, able CPA in George Allingham," said Ms. Bandler about her friend, an accountant at Allingham, Kosar & Co. "But I'm delighted the voters decided to nominate me. That's wonderful."
Still, Mr. Khare is not out of the race yet. Since he also received the Republican nomination, he and Ms. Bandler will square off again in the November municipal elections.
Mr. Allingham, Ms. Franklin and Mr. Khare could not be reached for comment.
Ms. Hawley, a former vice president at Residential Lending, said she is "happy to have the support of the Democrats and I look forward to the general election in November."
She and the other ultimate victor of the Democratic primary will face Republican nominees Edgar Wainwright and Matthew Stevens for the open finance board positions.
Election Day is Nov. 3, and the vote will be conducted at the Bridgewater Senior Center.


©The Housatonic Times 2009


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