HUNTINGTON – The recount of the Town Clerk election, which produced an unprecedented tie for Huntington, was held on Monday by the Board of Registrars.
Kathleen Thomas
Judith Guyette
In the Town Clerk election, Kathleen Thomas, who is serving as Interim Town Clerk until June 30 and previously served as Assistant Town Clerk for the past seven years, received 139 votes. Judith Guyette, who previously served as Town Clerk from 1983 to 2003 and currently is chair of the Alphonso P. Pettis Fund, also received 139 votes.
It remained a tie after the recount, 139 for Thomas and 139 for Guyette, according to Huntington Administrative Assistant Helen Speckels. The Board of Selectmen then met on Wednesday, and had the option to either call a special election or appoint someone until June 30, 2018.
Prior to the meeting, Guyette contacted the Board of Selectmen to say that, due to personal reasons, she had decided to concede the election to Kathy Thomas, according to Speckels and Board chair Edward Renauld.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the Board then voted to appoint Kathy Thomas as Temporary Town Clerk until town elections next May. Whoever wins that election will take over as Town Clerk, beginning July 1, 2018.
