Carty narrowly holds onto Inter-Lakes School Board seat

A strong turnout from Sandwich voters nearly denied incumbent Inter-Lakes School Board member Jack Carty another term on the board in favor of challenger Chris Mega. However, the surge was not strong enough to overcome support for the incumbent in the school district's other two communities.

Sandwich voters preferred Mega to Carty by a margin of 387 to 154. However, the margin in Center Harbor was in Carty's favor 116 to 63. In Meredith, where both candidates reside, Carty won by a vote of 647 to 373.

The total vote count was 917 for Carty versus 823 for Mega. The total percentile difference was less than six points: Carty won 52.7-percent of the overall votes compared to 47.3-percent for Mega.

Carty won 64.8-percent of votes in Center Harbor and 63.4-percent in Meredith, while Mega won 71.5-percent in Sandwich.

Mega's candidacy was generally inspired by reaction to an attempt by the school board to limit the growth in spending in the school budget for 2010-11 to less than 2-percent because of the recession. Recommended cuts — including moving the 6th grade at Sandwich Central School to the Meredith campus — were overwhelmingly restored by voters who attended at the annual school district meeting last week.

Reached late last night, Carty said, "I'd simply like to thank the large number of voters who turned out," and made their voices known "for the direction they wish the school board to take."

Carty said he was "humbled by the number of people who stepped forward and volunteered to help me." He added he looked forward to serving, emphasizing that he will seek to represent all residents of the district.

Center Harbor also had a school board seat up for election. Rebecca Alosa, who was appointed to the seat last year, asked voters to return her and did not face an opponent listed on the ballot. Sally Smith, though mounted a late write-in campaign.

Alosa prevailed at the end of the day, garnering 719 votes in Meredith, 178 in Center Harbor and 311 in Sandwich. Smith won 76 votes in Meredith and 210 votes in Sandwich. Center Harbor did not report a vote total for any write-in candidates.