SALEM – Lev McClain won the Ward 4 city councilor race by a nine-vote margin on Monday, after the ballots were counted for a third time.
“The recount went well. The City Clerk’s Office and the Board of Registrar were all very well prepared,” said McCain. “It went really smoothly. No surprises. Just a matter of time and getting through it.”
The recount resulted in the same nine-vote margin as the one conducted on the election night, although each candidate received an additional vote during this final recount on Monday.
The ballots were counted three times in total: The original count of the votes on Nov. 2 showed a one-vote difference between McClain and his competitor Stephanie Rodriguez. The ballots were recounted for the first time on the election night with additional mail-in and dropbox votes, and McClain was announced the winner with a nine-vote margin (818 to 809). However, Rodriguez filed for another recount.
“I am just glad that the choosing part is over and I can now focus on the work,” said McClain, who grew up in Lynn and moved to Salem in 2005.
