Ward 5 Councilor Robert A. Paul, Sr.
WESTFIELD – Ward 5 was another race that saw a newcomer challenge an incumbent. First-time candidate Leslie “Les” Daniel LeFebvre fell short of ousting Ward 5 incumbent Councilor Robert A. Paul, Sr., who won with one of the larger margins of the evening of 872 votes (61%) to LeFebvre’s 548 votes (39%) in the unofficial results.
Breaking it down further, Ward 5 A voted 379 for Paul, and 310 for LeFebvre. Ward 5 B cast 492 votes for Paul, and 238 for LeFebvre. There were also 142 blank ballots; 57 in Ward 5A and 86 in Ward 5B, and a total of 5 write-ins, 1 in Ward 5A and 4 in Ward 5B.
Ward 5 candidate Les LeFebvre. (Photo submitted)
On Tuesday, Paul gathered with other candidates at the Tavern Restaurant on Broad Street to wait for results, and said he was “humbled” by his re-election to a third term on the City Council.
“I’m very humbled and honored by winning. Ward 5 residents want me to continue working hard to provide services, sewers, value for their tax dollar and improvements at Munger Hill,” Paul said, adding, “Thank you, everyone.”
LeFebvre, a 30-year engineering project engineer and engineering manager on new jet engine component designs, had said he now has the time and wanted to serve the city he has lived in his entire life.
“I enjoyed running for City Council Ward 5 and worked hard. I feel with the (548) votes I received as a Ward 5 candidate I am very grateful. I thank all the Ward 5 residences that voted for me… I am very proud to be a lifetime resident of Westfield. I have the fortitude to work hard in future elections to be a representative of the City Council Ward 5 resident’s voice in the city,” LeFebvre said following the election results.
