LACONIA — Mayor Andrew Hosmer was re-elected to a second term Tuesday, handily fending off a challenge from School Board member and state representative Dawn Johnson. Hosmer received 2,146 votes, compared to 790 votes for Johnson.
The race for the largely ceremonial position was the most closely-watched bout on the ballot which was notable for having the highest number of contested races in 30 years.
Voters returned all six of the current city councilors to office for another two years.
In the City Council contests:
Ward 1: Bruce Cheney was the winner. He received 366 votes, compared to 257 votes for Sean Fountain.
Ward 2: Robert Soucy defeated Laura Dunn, 235 votes to 143.
Ward 3: Henry Lipman was the winner in a three-way race, receiving 321 votes, while Erica Hebert got 112 votes. Jane Wood mounted a last-minute write-in campaign. It was unclear how many votes Wood received. But there were 118 write-in votes cast for the councilor position.
Ward 4: Mark Haynes won with 249 votes, compared to 145 votes for Marc Forgione.
Ward 5 Councilor Bob Hamel and Ward 6 Councilor Tony Felch, who were unopposed, received 214 votes and 471 votes respectively.
Voters elected three new members to the School Board in Tuesday’s balloting.
Jennifer Anderson won the race for the at-large seat. Just one vote separated the two Ward 1 candidates: 299 votes for Jennifer Ulrich, and 298 votes for Candace Knowlton. Newcomer Heather Drolet, who was running unopposed for the Ward 6 seat, received 449 votes.
Anderson received 1,919 votes, with Liana Crowell getting 497 votes, and Jay Tomlinson 346 votes.
The ballot question to allow the City Council to approve the new ward lines passed easily, with 1,837 in favor and 618 opposed.
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