NORTH ATTLEBORO - In what one candidate called a referendum on the direction the town is heading, incumbent town councilors dominated the field of 19 seeking nine two-year seats during Tuesday's town election.
The results could certainly be viewed as receiving a mandate from voters to continue the progress the council has made over the past six years.
Current council president Justin Pare will serve a third term leading the semi-monthly meetings after he topped the field with 2,002 votes.
The only other person to serve as president, Keith Lapointe, finished second with 1,829 votes, earning the position of vice president.
Andrea Slobogan was third with 1,768 votes; current vice president John Simmons dropped to fourth with 1,765; John Costello was fifth with an even 1,500 votes; Daniel Donovan finished sixth with 1,404; first-time candidate Kevin McCarthy was seventh with 1,395 votes; Laura Wagner, also a first-time candidate and former city councilor in Marlboro, finished eighth with 1,256 and Mark Gould, Jr, who finished fourth two years ago, secured the last spot with 1,205 votes.
Zachariah Johnson finished 10th and will be the first alternate if a councilor resigns over the next two years. Patricia St. Pierre was the only incumbent not to win reelection, finishing 11th. Donald Cerrone was 12th, Joseph Rezza was 13th, Michael Gould, Jr. was 14th, David Cannata, Jr. was 15th, Cara Ann Caranci was 16th, Troy Goodman was 17th, James Lang was 18th and Leo Glennon rounded out the field.
A total of 2,957 residents voted, a turnout of 12.09% of the town’s 24,451 registered voters.
Eight of the nine candidates elected Tuesday visited the North TV studio after the results were announced on North TV.
Click the video below to watch their remarks.
