PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Daniel L. Bianchi said he would file a petition Thursday with the city clerk’s office requesting a recount of the Nov. 3 mayoral election results.
The margin of votes between Bianchi and Mayor James M. Ruberto was 209 ballots. The city election brought out more than 13,000 of registered voters. Bianchi, Ward 6 city councilor, won 10 of the city's 14 precincts but Ruberto surged ahead to win a fourth term 6,658 to 6,449
The margin between the two candidates was less than one percent.
The recount process is allowed by election law and is typically exercised in close elections. The official recount petition submitted by Bianchi cited several reasons for the recount request including that the electronic voting machines may have failed to correctly register voter intent, resulting in incorrect candidate totals.
The petition also requested that all challenged and escrow ballots be evaluated to determine their eligibility and then counted accordingly. The petition requests that all ballots be recounted by hand. That request is also prescribed by the same election laws and typical in similar elections.
"I want to ensure that everyone's vote and voice was heard during this election," said Bianchi in a statement. "Given the small vote differential and the numeric anomalies in some wards I feel that it is in the best interest of the citizens of Pittsfield that we recount the votes to ensure that everyone that was eligible to vote has their ballot counted."
The close vote reflected a rough campaign that saw the candidates meet in a half-dozen debates after they survived preliminary election against eight others in September. The Bianchi camp charged Ruberto with negative campaigning; Ruberto insisted his advertisements were based on fact.
Bianchi said he's calling for recount to make sure no legitimate ballots were overlooked or rejected.
"It is very important that people have faith in the electoral process and that citizens have their doubts addressed so that we can move forward with a stronger sense of community," he said.
