Election Results: Moreau, Roberts Lead the Pack

The results are in, with only a few surprises.

4,426 voters cast a ballot in Woonsocket's 2011 municipal elections, voting in three new City Council members and two new faces to the School Committee.

Although most of the newcomers were able to slip into the vacant seats of departing board members, incumbent Stella Brien will not be returning to her seat on the council, after being edged out Tuesday night by her father in-law Albert Brien, by a margin of just 43 votes. 

"The results are similar to the primary," said Mayor Fontaine. "Our team did very well so I'm very happy for all of them, especially Chris Roberts. He worked really hard for it."

Fontaine's team - made up of City Council incumbents John Ward and Daniel Gendron and School Committee candidates incumbent Anita McGuire-Forcier and Roberts- made a strong showing. With 100% of votes counted by the Board of Canvassers, Ward was the second-highest vote getter for the council with 57.32%. Gendron came in third place with 50.49%, while McGuire-Forcier received the third highest billing for the School Committee with 46.31%.

But the real surprise of the night came from newcomer Roberts, who landed in first place for the School Committee with 2,363 votes, or 53.38%.

"I was hopeful, but it never dawned on me that I could be number one," said Roberts Tuesday night during the group's celebration at . "I look forward to getting together with all five committee members to make sure we're on the same page. The voters putting me in the number one spot shows they want change, so that's part of the plan."

If the top spots were, in fact, an indication of voters' desire for change, the City Council was no exception. Robert Moreau, a retired police officer who currently works as head of the Woonsocket Housing Authority, was the favorite among voters for the council with 2,545 votes (57.5%,) beating out Council President Ward by 8 votes.

School Committee Chairman Marc Dubois also gained a seat on the council, joining incumbents Roger Jalette and Christopher Beauchamp to complete the seven-member board.

"Of course, we're a little disappointed by the turn-out," said Dubois during an interview earlier in the evening at , where the candidate met with his team and supporters. Dubois campaigned with committee candidate John Donlon, who holds a similar resume to the WED veteran. Both graduates of spent time on the Woonsocket Police Department and currently work for . Donlon received 1,760 votes (39.76%,) beating out his next closest opponent, Thomas Wrona, by 202 votes to secure a seat on the committee.

Incumbent Committeewoman Eleanor Nadeau landed in second place with 2,051, beating McGuire-Forcier by only one vote. Incumbent Vimala Phongsavanh, meanwhile, came in fourth with 2,005.

"I am so glad I have Chris Roberts and Vimala to work with," said McGuire-Forcier. "I know they're passionate and I'm passionate too, and I can't wait to meet Donlon."

Fontaine ran unopposed for the mayoral position, with 2,943 voters checking his name on the ballot. 244 voters elected to write in candidates, which workers at Board of Canvassers said varied from potentially serious opponents who did not elect to run, to "Mickey Mouse" and "Elmer Fudd." 1,237 voters left the line blank.

The relatively low turn-out did not seem to dampen the spirits of Tuesday's victors.

"I was only expecting about 4,000," said Ward, pointing out that in the 2003 municipal election, which also lacked a mayoral contest, only 3,800 residents cast votes. "I think the nice weather helped. Voting is a privilege - we wish everyone would take advantage of it."

Ward was also pleased with the approval of ballot Question 3, which will amend the city's Home Rule Charter to put Woonsocket's election cycle in sync with even year, state elections. "I don't think it distorts the local outcome," said Ward. "I didn't want to tell voters what to do, but I personally voted for it."

2,466 votes were cast in favor of the measure, which, in the future, will save the city the cost of the local biannual elections. 2011's elected officials will serve for two years, while 2013's will serve for three, putting Woonsocket on track for even year elections begining in 2016.    

A photo of full results provided by the Board of Canvassers is attached above.