Former Arab American mayor Lazieh wins Central Falls council race: 'Wow. I won by one vote'
Thomas Lazieh, left, has a question for the Board of Elections as he looks over ballots that were in question. Also looking at the ballots is Glenn Whitehead, lawyer for Kenneth A. Vaudreuil, who ran against Lazieh. The Board of Elections holds a recount of a number of races, including the Central Falls Council 5 race that was being recounted because the margin of victory was one vote.Providence Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
By
Providence Journal
Behind. Ahead. Behind. Ahead.
That was the “disturbing see-saw” former Mayor Thomas Lazieh said he went though before winning the Central Falls Ward 5 council seat Monday. The recount, which the state Board of Elections certified shortly before 3 p.m., gave Lazieh, who was mayor from 1990 to 1996, 364 votes.
Incumbent Kenneth Vaudreuil, a former state representative, had 363 votes. Both are Democrats in this non-partisan contest.
On Election Night, Vaudreuil was ahead by 10 ballots, 342 to 332. After mail ballots were factored in, Lazieh took the lead by one, 359 to 358. The provisional ballots changed the lead back to Vaudreuil by one, 363 to 362.
The recount, one of six to be completed by the elections board, started at 12:12 p.m., but Lazieh was at election headquarters ahead of time.
“Every single vote counts,” the 63-year-old said regarding the rare, one vote difference. (Rep. Carlos E. Tobon, D-Pawtucket, famously lost his 2012 bid for a House seat by one vote to William San Bento.)
Lazieh had various city and state roles before retiring in 2008, continued, “It doesn’t sink into people how their one vote decides government — especially on a local level.”
Strangely enough, Lazieh did not necessarily want to win. He said he did not campaign door to door or spend a dime, and Lazieh said he ran only to continue pressing his argument that Vaudreuil was violating the City Charter by being a councilman and an inspector for the Central Falls Housing Authority, a quasi public agency. The Central Falls City Solicitor has said Vaudreuil can perform both roles.
“I ran on principal knowing that my opponent had the full backing of the mayor, the full administration, all the remaining council members and the state [representative] and state senator,” Lazieh said. He also said he only told his girlfriend and pastor he was running. “I did not expect to get the overwhelming vote that I did get. It was a pleasant shock to me.”
“If the voters elect me, then I will serve. But my original intent in challenging the opinion [of the city solicitor] will continue.”
The ballots cast at the two polling locations for the ward were re-fed through two machines as Lazieh, Vaudreuil’s lawyer Glen Whitehead and Vaudreuil watched with others. They have been held in boxes with orange, numbered seals since Election Night.
Vaudreuil, who won his council seat in a 2015 special election, said he ran for reelection at the request of Mayor James Diossa.
He went door to door, and was “very surprised” by the Lazieh’s votes. After hearing the reason for Lazieh’s candidacy, Vaudreuil said, “Well that makes it even weirder…. We’ll see what happens.”
Vaudreuil left Monday — but his lawyer stayed — as the board reviewed machine-rejected and provisional ballots many thought put Vaudreuil ahead. There were a dozen in all and in the end, each candidate received five additional votes.
Then the final tallies were read aloud, with Lazieh the winner. Elections staff later said two additional ballots — apparently for Lazieh — had been remade because they were damaged, and then counted.
When Lazieh started to question further, a friend next to him told him to be quiet. Vaudreuil’s lawyer left immediately, but Whitehead later said via phone that he wants to see the two ballots and will talk to Vaudreuil about “considering other options.” A candidate can contest election results in court.
After telling the media it has been a “disturbing see saw,” Lazieh sent a text message to his family and pastor: “Wow. I won by one vote!!!”