By DONNA KENNY KIRWAN

PAWTUCKET — In a race that was a nail-biter to the end, incumbent School Committee member Amy Breault Zolt was certified as the winner on Monday of a write-in campaign for a School Committee seat.

A count of 53 write-in ballots that had been delayed since Tuesday’s election took place at a meeting of the Pawtucket Board of Canvassers on Monday afternoon.
After it was found that some write-in ballots had become mixed up with regular ballots at Geneva Plaza, the state Board of Elections had held off on allowing the blue bins containing these ballots to be opened in the event that a recount was requested in the District 5 City Council race.
On Friday, city Registrar Ken McGill was told he could retrieve the bin and the count with the Board of Canvassers was then scheduled for Monday.
The tally for Breault Zolt and another write-in hopeful, former School Committee member Raymond J. Spooner was a tie of 10 to 10. However, because Breault Zolt had earned more votes than Spooner when all of the regular votes and absentee ballots were included, her final tally with the write-ins was 850 to Spooner’s 822.
“Congratulations!” Board of Canvassers Chairwoman Charlotte Tavares said to Breault Zolt, who was observing the process at City Hall with her son, Tyler.
After carefully reading off the write-in votes with Canvassing Clerk Edward Catone, Jr., she told the 46-year-old Potter Street resident that she was now certified as the winner.
Breault Zolt, who will be entering her fourth term on the School Board with this win, hugged her son and noted, “I’ve been waiting patiently.” She also learned that she is apparently the first person to win a city election as a write-in candidate, according to anyone’s recent memory on the Board of Canvassers..
The write-in candidates emerged after first-time candidate Matthew Gunnip, who had beaten Breault Zolt in the Democratic primary, had dropped out of the race last Friday. On election night, Breault Zolt had had received 829 write-in votes, Spooner earned 811, and a third contender, School Committee Chairman Gordon Gould, garnered 275 votes. These figures did not include the absentee or write-in ballots.
Gould picked up one extra write-in vote during Monday’s process.

When reached for comment about the outcome, Spooner said, “It is what it is,” and jokingly added, “How many people are fortunate enough to lose twice in one election?” However, on a serious note, he also said he has missed being involved in local politics and intends to run again for elected office in two years.

The other unfinished election result, that certifying the winner of the District 5 City Council seat, won’t be known until Monday, Nov. 17 when a full recount is scheduled to take place at the state Board of Elections.

Candidate Jean Philippe Barros was found to have bested longtime incumbent City Councilor Mary Bray by 64 votes after the absentee ballots were counted. However, Bray, who has held the seat for 16 years, requested a recount.
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