HomeMy WebLinkAbout2018 11-12 Maplewood council race headed for recount MAPLEWOOD REVIEW
Maplewood council race headed for
recount
Submitted by admin on Mon, 11/12/2018 - 12:45pm
The Maplewood City Council race, which wrapped Nov. 6 and featured four candidates for two seats, was
too close to call, at least for one of the candidates.
A margin of seven votes is all that seperates a win for council candidate Nikki Villavicencio, who netted
5,732 votes, or 24.88 percent of the vote, from a loss for Marylee Abrams, who tallied 5,725 votes, or
24.84 percent. A recount is planned.
Ramsey County Elections manager Joe Mansky said in an interview that there are no automatic recounts
in the county. They’re only possible when a losing candidates makes a request for one. He confirmed that
such a request was made. Abrams could not be reached for comment.
Elsewhere, the results were more clear cut. Incumbent council member Kathleen Juenemann received
the most council votes with 6,139, which was good for 26 percent of the vote and another term. Kevin
Berglund came up short with 22 percent of the vote, or 5,273 votes, in the hotly contested bout.
The mayoral race was even more decisive, as residents re-elected incumbent Mayor Nora Slawik with 62
percent of the vote over Margaret Behrens.
Mansky said the city will schedule the recount and notify candidates.
In Minnesota, all recounts are done by hand. “They’ll take a look at every ballot,” said Mansky.
The recount can begin after Maplewood canvassas the election results, and Mansky said Maplewood
planned to do so Nov. 13, which was after deadline for this edition of the Review.