Nardella Not Seeking Recount, Swearing-In Will Be Monday

Selectman Rick Nardella will not seek a recount in this week's shockingly close election, Town Clerk Joyce Bradshaw said.

In Tuesday's election, Don Stewart received 1,304 votes, 28.45 percent. Incumbent Nardella received 1,292 votes, 28.18 percent. Within seconds after the results were announced at North Andover High School, the crowd in the room was already speculating about a recount.

There is no automatic recount in North Andover if elections are close. Candidates have to request them and gather 10 signatures for each of the town's eight precincts precinct they wish to have recounted. Bradshaw said Tuesday night that she has never seen an election as close as this one.

The swearing-in ceremony was supposed to be Wednesday night, but Bradshaw -- the selectmen race between Nardella and Stewart, and the Greater Lawrence Vocational Technical High School race in which Frank Rossi won with 1,047 votes -- just eight more votes than his opponent, Robert Bonenfant.

Bonenfant had already said he would not seek a recount, leading to speculation Wendesday night that the postponement signaled that Nardella would seek a recount.

But Friday morning, Bradshaw announced that Nardella told her he would not seek a recount of Tuesday's results. Stewart will be sworn in along with Tracy Watson, who won a second term on the Board, on Monday at 7 p.m. at before the Board of Selectmen meeting.