Nashua: BOA chief Bolton unseated

NASHUA – Board of Alderman President Steven Bolton was unseated Tuesday in a four-way race for three open at-large seats, according to unofficial results.

Incumbent David Deane took the lion's share of the city-wide vote with 4,726 votes, while former Ward 1 Alderman Mark Cookson garnered 3,843 and another former alderman, Barbara Pressly, received 3,946 votes. Bolton had 3,435 votes.

For two spots on the city fire commission, incumbent David Lavoie retained his seat and was joined by challenger Michael Soucy. Incumbent and vice chairman Bruce Laughton and newcomer Burton Janz were defeated at the polls.

In the other city-wide races there were an equal number of candidates and open seats. Tracy Pappas and Daniel Gagnon were elected to the Board of Public Works while Dennis Ryder, Thomas Vaughan, David Murotake and Sandra Ziehm took seats on the Board of Education.

For the Ward 1 alderman seat, write-in candidate Steve Martin lost out to Kathryn Vitale, with a total of 402 write-in ballots received by the close of polls. Despite dropping out of the race, Robert Sullivan's name remained on the ballot and he got 160 votes.

Elected as aldermen in the other eight city wards were: Richard LaRose in Ward 2, Diane Sheehan in Ward 3, Arthur T. Craffey, Jr. in Ward 4, Michael J. Tabacsko in Ward 5, Paul M. Chasse, Jr. in Ward 6, Richard Flynn in Ward 7, Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja in Ward 8 and Jeffrey T. Cox in Ward 9.

Both incumbents Cox and Flynn ran unopposed. Longtime incumbent Marc Plamondon lost a bid to keep his Ward 4 seat, while Tabacsko and Chasse retained their seats despite tight races.

Though polls were open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday was a slow day at the ballot box, City Clerk Paul Bergeron said. Out of 51,540 registered voters in Nashua, 6,958 cast a ballot in the off-year, non-mayoral election, or roughly 13 1/2 percent of the total electorate. There were no referendum questions on the ballot.

Voting results

• For Aldermen-At-Large: David Deane 4,726; Barbara Pressly, 3,946; Mark Cookson, 3,843; Steven Bolton 3,435.
• For Board of Education: Sandra Ziehm, 4,376; Thomas Vaughan, 3,833; Dennis Ryder, 3,730; David Murotake, 3,693.
• For Fire Commission: Michael Soucy, 3,144; David Lavoie, 2,977; Bruce Laughton, 2,661; Burton Janz, 817.
• For Board of Public Works: Daniel Gagnon, 4,145; Tracy Pappas, 4,128.
• Board of Alderman Ward 1: Kathryn Vitale, 609; Robert Sullivan, Jr., 160; write-in candidates, 402.
• Ward 2: Richard LaRose, 431; Michael Aksten, 225.
• Ward 3: Diane Sheehan, 341; Kevin Moriarty, 311; Robert Carlson, 189; A. David Pierce, 132.
• Ward 4: Arthur Craffey, Jr., 181; Marc Plamondon, 164.
• Ward 5: Michael Tabacsko, 424; Michael Gallagher, 416.
• Ward 6: Paul Chasse, Jr., 336; Ken Gidge, 300.
• Ward 7: Richard Flynn, 542.
• Ward 8: Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja, 342; Edmond Stebbins, 281.
• Ward 9: Jeffrey Cox, 573.