Easton's municipal election seemed to be a never-ending saga. First there was a court fight by Easton Coalition candidates to get onto the ballot, then a dispute over the vote totals for the write-in candidate for first selectman, Val Buckley. After a court-ordered recount for the top race confirmed Republican-endorsed candidate Adam Dunsby's victory on Tuesday, a Superior Court judge's decision on 32 disputed ballots went in Selectman Scott Centrella's favor on Friday morning.
The official count after Nov. 5 showed 1,057 votes for Dunsby, 1,044 for Centrella and 1,007 for Buckley, who could have either beat out Dunsby for first selectman or Centrella for selectman.
A recount changed the numbers to 1,060 votes for Dunsby, 1,044 for Centrella (who was not included in the recount) and 1,025 for Buckley — putting Buckley within striking distance of overtaking Centrella.
Buckley's supporters were confident Judge Barbara Bellis would accept enough of the 32 disputed ballots in Buckley's favor on Friday morning, but Bellis only accepted one more vote.
"The judge ruled against counting 31 of the 32 challenged ballots and the one ballot she counted, I stipulated to," said Robert Russo, the attorney representing the town. "She then certified the results of the election as 1,060 for Dunsby and 1,026 for Buckley."
Buckley's supporters believed 28 of the 32 ballots, which had bubbles filled in for a write-in for first selectman but no name written in the space, would be awarded to Buckley who was the only write-in candidate for first selectman.
However, an observer at court who spoke to Patch anonymously said one had Chase, the name of the Easton Police Department's former canine, and a paw print in the space and another had Adam Dunsby, who was not even a write-in.
Bellis decided not to accept any of those ballots.
Though Buckley was within 19 votes of Centrella, which can spark a recount for selectman, she declined to challenge saying the town has already been through enough, according to a source.
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