Havre de Grace City Councilman Wayne Dougherty had a slight edge over fellow Councilman Gary Wasielewski when Tuesday?s municipal election results were counted, but absentee ballots could still decide the town?s next mayor.
Unofficial results from the Harford County Board of Elections put Dougherty ahead by just 38 votes Wednesday, with more than 68 absentee and provisional ballots yet to be counted.
“I’ve been out and about today ? hearing lots of congratulations, and I’ve just cautioned everybody that it’s not official,” Dougherty said.
Wasielewski said he was also waiting to see the results of the absentee ballots but didn?t count on them propelling him to victory.
“Based on some numbers I’ve heard and knowing what Mr. Dougherty got already, it?s almost an impossibility,” he said. “It?s rather improbable, but I?ll still wait and see.”
Wasielewski said that if the election goes to Dougherty, he would likely spend the next year returning to his hobby of exploring and promoting local history through his work as a teacher at Havre de Grace High School and as a vice president at the Lock House Museum.
The first round of absentee ballots will be counted today, provisional ballots will be verified and counted May 14, and the last absentee ballots will be counted May 18, Board of Elections officials said. The head of elections for the city will formally present the results at the council?s May 21 meeting, making them official.
Although voters at St. Patrick?s Church Hall spoke Tuesday of wanting new blood on the council, two out of the three newly elected council members have had previous experience. Joe Kochenderfer and Barbara Jenifer-Ferguson both have served terms on the council, while the third councilman-elect, Randolph Craig, is the son of former mayor and current County Executive David Craig.
