Despite announcing his candidacy the weekend before the election, write-in candidate Chris Raymond won a three-year seat on the Dublin Select Board Tuesday.
With 222 votes, Raymond defeated fellow write-in candidate David Wolpe, who had 152 votes, and Allan “Geoff” Pinney, who received 141 votes. Brooks Johnson, who was on the ballot but withdrew from the race, received 12 votes.
“The voting population, I think was fed up with choices that we had prior to me stepping in,” Raymond said, in an interview Wednesday morning. “I think everyone was anxious to see some young blood, new ideas and new thoughts.”
Raymond said he was grateful for the support he received in the election despite deciding late that he would run for selectman.
“It was amazing, the amount of people who came out,” Raymond said.
Now that he has a seat on the board, Raymond said he will take some time to get settled in and educate himself on the topics and problems facing the town.
Raymond highlighted bringing more young families to town, keeping taxes “under control,” and focusing on the school district and the town’s elementary school will all be priorities in his tenure.
The only other race with contention in town was the ConVal school board race, with incumbent Bernd Foecking fending off a write-in campaign by Leo Plante.
Foecking received 413 votes to Plante’s 52.
Town Meeting continues Saturday at 9 a.m. in Dublin Consolidated School.