After a recount requested by District 7 City Council candidate Angelina Camacho following the September 14 primary election, results show that Roy Owens still came in second place to Tania Anderson, leaving Camacho in the third place spot.
In the primary election, Tania Anderson took the lead in District 7 with 2,014 votes. Roy Owens took second place with 1,284, and Angelina Camacho trailed Owens by just 28 votes with a total of 1256.
According to official results from the City of Boston Elections Department, the recount shows that Anderson still took the lead with 2,038 votes, and Owens garnered 37 more votes than Camacho, who got 1,263 to his 1,300.
Camacho issued the following statement following the recount: ¡°We are so grateful to all of our volunteers, community partners, friends, and family, as well as the Election Department, who spent their Saturday counting votes to make sure that every voice has been heard at the polls.
While it is disappointing that the recount did not go our way, we are still glad we went through with it in response to all who had questions about the results. We were honored to be a part of building confidence in the election system and learned so much through this process.
It is often said at the end of an election that “the people have spoken”. That said, when we think about the low turnout and the number of voters who did not feel confident in selecting any District 7 candidate, we actually need to hear both messages sent to us. One is indeed from the people who believe in working with the process as it stands but the other, larger number of people, have charged us with doing more to earn their trust. Over 80% of our eligible residents voiced their choice by not voting at all.
When less than 20% of our registered voters participate in the process, there is a clarion call for change. We can no longer afford to close our eyes and ears to this message. #TeamAngie is committed to responding with the action needed to build our voter base, and make sure that when we say the people “have spoken,” everyone is truly heard.
We respectfully congratulate the candidates who have gone forward. #TeamAngie is in communication with our partners about the continued support that should be conveyed to our finalists. We are also excited to work with the candidates who did not advance but have already started the necessary conversations about the work ahead. For many of us, community building is the work we have always done. It does not die with the close of the election season.
We look forward to joining many of you in the continued work.”