Recount reverses result of Register of Probate primary
Published on October 4th, 2000
STONEHAM, MA - If at first you don't succeed, recount. John Buonomo pulled the Democratic nomination for Register of Probate out from under Thomas Concannon, Jr, who, just a few days earlier, was a winner.
Concannon, the former May-or of Newton, won the Sept. 19 Primary Election by 40 votes, 9,283 to 9,243. Then Buonomo took out the papers to file for a countywide recount. But instead he filed for local recounts, targeting 126 precincts where he had done well and where many blank ballots had been recorded.
Concannon lost his chance to ask for a countywide recount on Sept. 22. He lost his chance to ask for local recounts on Sept. 25. And after 126 precincts of 11 Middlesex communities, including Stoneham, were counted, Concannon lost the race.
There are 473 precincts in 54 communities in Middlesex County. But you get what you work for and what you pay for. Buonomo's people had to get ten signatures of Democrats registered as of Aug. 30 from each precinct they wanted recounted. And filing the requests costs money. Someone close to the Buonomo camp said the effort cost $7,000.
Precincts in Somerville, Buonomo's hometown, Cam-bridge and Medford made the difference. Buonomo picked up 21 votes in Somerville, 18 in Cambridge and seven in Medford.
Concannon gained one vote in Arlington, one vote in Tewksbury and one vote in Malden, but this wasn't enough.
Buonomo also edged ahead in Stoneham and benefited from a mistake in Framingham's initial report of results.
All recount information was final as of 5 p.m. Oct. 2. Brian McNiff of the Secretary of State's Office reported that Buonomo won the election by 16 votes.
This, folks, is politics. It ain't over until — well, it really never ends. Concannon can challenge ballots which are ambiguously marked, but so can Buonomo, and there is no obvious reason why one candidate would gain more than the other.
But Malden election officials were told that Concannon is challenging all absentee ballots cast in Somerville. A Malden city employee said Somerville Elections Director Mary Walker has "containers of them."
Somerville elections officials would not comment.
Protested ballots must be challenged in court. Concannon is represented by Attorneys Haskell and Kassler of Boston. Attorney William McDermott of West Roxbury represents Buonomo.
Incumbent Republican Register Lee Johnson of Medford has enjoyed the role of the 1999 Yankees, watching the Sox and Indians rip and tear for a chance to go at the champ.
It looks as if Johnson's getting some tough and savvy competition from the Buonomo boys.
Messages left at the candidates' homes and with their lawyers were not returned in time for this article.
Accuvote a success
Stoneham's new Accuvote voting machines were a hit with townspeople and election officials.
The new ballots accompanying the system are easy to fill out; voters just fill in a circle next to their choice.
"It's intuitive and easy," said Tim Sweeney of Pleasant Street.
And the machines record the votes instantly, making calculations a snap for election workers.
"We had absolutely no problems or delays," said Town Clerk John Hanright.
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