December 10, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 3 Franklin Lakes Recount application filed in school board election by Frank J. McMahon The absentee ballots and provisional votes have been counted and two candi- dates for the Franklin Lakes Board of Edu- cation will soon be sworn-in. But the final outcome of the election of a third member of the board remains unknown now that a recount application has been filed. The vote tallies after the absentee ballots and provisional votes were counted were: Peter John Koulikourdis, 1,154; Susan McGowan, 1,140; Jennifer Marcus, 1,085; Victoria E. Holst, 1,080; Laurence Loprete, 1,050; and Randy Lee Dixon, 978. The five vote difference between Marcus and Holst prompted Holst to file a recount application. “I filed a petition for a recount on Nov. 18,” Holst said, “and at this time we are waiting for the order for recount from a Superior Court judge. “It was a close election and I had a lot of supporters, so it’s a matter of due diligence for the people who supported me to ensure that every vote is counted.” Marcus said she was shocked at how close the margins were in the votes for all the candidates and she was not surprised that Holst would want to make sure the actual numbers are counted due to the close margin. “I don’t begrudge her that at all,” Marcus said. “I think it is only fair that we make sure that the count is accurate. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that everyone can put this to bed early and move on with the reasons why we all wanted to run for the board to begin with.” According to Pat DeConstanzo, the superintendent of the Bergen County Board of Elections, the recount will be assigned to a Superior Court judge who will contact the board of education to schedule a date for the recount, which would be conducted in the county’s warehouse in Garfield. A hand count of the mail-in and provisional ballots would be held at the board of elec- tions offices in Hackensack. If no change in the count is found, the applicant can look at the registration books to see if anyone voted who moved out of town, go through all the applications for mail-in ballots, and look at the provisional ballots. If there is enough of a change to question the election, the applicant would file court papers informing the judge that enough discrepancies were found to war- rant a court case and then the judge would make a ruling. The two newly-elected members of the school board will be sworn-in at the Jan. 6 public reorganization meeting. Whoever is declared the winner of the third seat based on the basis of a recount of the votes will take place after the recount is completed. If that recount is not completed by the date of the reorganization meeting, the school board will operate with one less board member until the recount is completed and the election of a new board member is con- firmed. Holst has been a Franklin Lakes resident (continued on page 12)