Recount upholds Belmont Town Meeting budget vote

BELMONT — The town operating budget was passed for the first time in two years, and that result was certified, following a petition for a recount, held Saturday at the Belmont Mill. The final hand count showed the article passed by six votes, 480-474.

This is exciting news for Belmont leaders, who were nervous despite being confident in the final tally from Town Meeting.

The final hand count was slightly different than that of March 10, where the budget passed by only four votes, 477-473.

"I’d like to confirm that the final count from the recent recount of Article 4 from the Town’s Election conducted on March 10, has been completed and officially certified with 480 'yes' and 474 'no' votes," said Town Clerk Jennifer Cashman. "I also want to thank everyone in the community for their engagement in this process. Residents have the right to request a recount, and in this case that right was exercised. We followed all required procedures and carried out the recount carefully, transparently, and in full accordance with the law.

"We understand that these moments matter to people, and we take that responsibility seriously. The process was conducted as it should be, and the results reflect that. At the end of the day, the outcome is the outcome, and we appreciate the community’s continued commitment to a fair and respectful civic process.”

Selectboard member Travis O'Hara agreed. 

“Regarding the four additional votes that were discovered, I was a bit shocked to learn about it, but relieved that they did not change the outcome,” Selectboard Member Travis O’ Hara said. “I will be working closely with our town officials and election team to review what happened and strengthen our procedures so that every vote is properly accounted for on Election Day. I have full confidence in our team, and believe this will not happen again.”

Town leaders and droves of volunteers and observers arrived Saturday morning to witness the recount, filling the fourth floor of the mill, in a show of democracy not often seen aside from Town Meeting. Belmont Selectboard members Ruth Mooney, Jon Pike, Mark Lewandoski, Sharon Ciampi, and O’Hara observed the recount. No ballots were contested.

Moderator Alvin Nix Jr. welcomed the audience and laid out the ground rules.

Five tables forming a U were set up, each with two volunteer counters. After Page 1 of the ballots was separated from the rest, which took 25 minutes, an observer joined each table to watch the count and assist with possible contested ballots.

The final counts from each table were then shared with the town clerks, who added them up. The entire recount tally took all of 15 minutes.

“The budget passes by six,” said Nix. “There are no objections at this point.”

Susan Pilliod, who led the charge for the recount, was in attendance, and later posted on Facebook, “While the outcome remains the same, the recount did result in changes to the vote count, reinforcing the importance of the process in ensuring accuracy. Thank you to everyone who supported, participated in, and observed the recount. It was encouraging to see members of our community engaged in the process. Although this isn’t the outcome we had hoped for, I remain grateful for the opportunity to be part of a process that values transparency and accountability.”

Meanwhile, leaders are grateful to have a passed budget.

“I’m truly grateful to all the residents who got involved in the recount process, whether by actively participating or simply attending to observe and ensure everything remained fair and transparent,” O’Hara said. “I also want to thank everyone who came out to vote on Election Day. That said, we’d love to see even more residents attend our budgeting meetings and get a firsthand look at the hard work and careful process that goes into it.”

For more information, visit belmontnh.gov.

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Katlyn Proctor can be reached at katlyn@laconiadailysun.com or by calling 603-524-0150.