by Laura Glesby
Ballot-counting at 200 Orange St. at 9:45 Tuesday night. | Thomas Breen Photo
A nail-biter of a Hill alder race came down to the counting of absentee ballots Tuesday night, as Democratic Hill Alder Angel Hubbard fended off a challenge by Republican/Independent Party candidate Miguel Pittman by a vote of 347-302.
It was a rematch in Hill North’s Ward 3, where Pittman and Hubbard had squared off in a special election last year.
Democrats won all 30 races for Board of Alders seats Tuesday, completing yet another sweep on a legislative body they have fully controlled since 2012.
“I’m grateful to the community for having trust in me,” Hubbard said. “I will continue to focus on the ward, we won’t let no distractions take us down. I’m humble and grateful.”
State law requires a recount when the margin of victory is less than one half of 1 percent. Hubbard’s victory was larger than that. The race was marred by allegations on both sides of campaign misconduct.
The 347-302 count was based on votes cast Tuesday at the polls, early votes cast the past two weeks, as well as a preliminary count of absentee ballots Tuesday night at 200 Orange St. At the polls Tuesday, Hubbard collected 243 votes to Pittman’s 121 votes. In early voting prior to Tuesday, Hubbard collected 62 votes to Pittman’s 125 votes. Hubbard collected 14 votes and Pittman 36 votes in ballots cast by people who registered to vote on the same day they cast ballots. The absentee ballot count was 28 for Hubbard, 20 for Pittman.
In Wooster Square and Mill River’s Ward 8, Democratic candidate Amanda Martinelli defeated Republican and Independent-endorsed candidate Andrea Zola.
Martinelli has so far received 500 votes (86.96 percent) compared to Zola’s 73 votes (12.70 percent). In that ward, there are 34 ballots that still need to be counted.
Martinelli will take over from incumbent Democrat Ellen Cupo.
In Fair Haven Heights’ Ward 13, Democratic candidate Mildred Melendez (currently the Board of Zoning Appeals chair) won against Green Party candidate Paul Garlinghouse and Independent Party candidate Luis Jimenez.
With 9 votes still to be counted, Melendez has received 417 votes (80.04 percent) in the three-way race so far, compared to Jimenez’s 32 votes (6.14 percent) and Garlinghouse’s 71 votes (13.63 percent).
Melendez will take over from incumbent Democrat Rosa Ferraro-Santana. Ferraro-Santana is currently the longest-serving member of the Board of Alders, having served on the board for most years since 2001 (with a six-year break from 2009 to 2015).
In Fair Haven’s Ward 16, Democratic candidate Magda Natal won against Independent Party-endorsed candidate Rafael Fuentes.
With 32 votes still to be counted, Natal has received 154 votes thus far (81.48 percent) compared to Fuentes’ 35 votes so far (18.52 percent).
At John S. Martinez School, Natal celebrated her win over Fuentes Jr. She hugged each of her three kids — Miles, Ariana, and Noah — one by one.
“I’m overwhelmed,” she said. “It was a lot of hard work, but the real work lies ahead. I thank all the work of the people who stayed by my side. The hard work lies ahead. I’m really emotional because i think that’s where the real challenges are going to lie.”
Natal will take over from incumbent Democrat Jose Crespo.
In Morris Cove’s Ward 18, Democratic candidate Leland Moore emerged victorious against Republican nominee Anthony Acri and petitioning candidate Zelema Harris.
With 63 ballots left to count, Moore has received 692 votes so far (61.51 percent) compared to Acri’s 395 votes (35.11 percent) and Harris’ 37 votes (3.29 percent).
At the Nathan Hale School polling place on Tuesday night, Acri congratulated Moore. “This was a tough race, but we are all in this as a community,” he said. “I always said to my opponent: Either one of us that gets in, let’s work together to rebuild the Cove. We’ll get the Cove back in shape.”
Moore replied that “the feeling is mutual. We’re a community. Just because the race is over doesn’t mean people go away.” He expressed his gratitude to his neighbors and all who helped him campaign. “This was a grassroots effort and a true privilege, and I can’t wait to get to work for my community.
Moore will take over from incumbent Democrat Sal DeCola.
Finally, one incoming new alder, Elias Theodore, did not face a challenger on Tuesday after winning a competitive Democratic primary election. Theodore will take the reins of Downtown/Yale’s Ward 1 seat from incumbent alder Kiana Flores, who decided not to run for a second term.
Meanwhile, with Ward 3 results uncertain, two incumbent alders have so far defeated their challengers.
In Ward 30, West Hills/West Rock Alder Honda Smith, a Democrat, has so far won 293 votes (93 percent) compared to her opponent, Republican Party candidate Perry Flowers’ 22 votes (6.98 percent). Fourteen ballots still need to be counted in that race.
And in Ward 12, Quinnipiac Meadows Alder Theresa Morant has won 260 votes so far (75.14 percent) compared to her Republican opponent Robert Vitello’s 85 votes (24.57 percent). Thirteen ballots still need to be counted in that race.