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The hand recount of the Ward 2 City Council election in New Bedford affirmed Scott Pemberton’s victory. The final tally after the recount was 452-437, with 35 blank votes — only one vote changed from the general election.
Pemberton didn’t have any comment besides saying, “It’s been two long, crazy weeks.”
His mother, Vivian, said, “My son worked very hard. He was out there knocking on doors.”
Pemberton’s victory was one of the biggest shocks in New Bedford’s Nov. 4 election. Pemberton knocked on thousands of doors in Ward 2 and cited it as the main strategy of his campaign.
Pemberton, who works in security, unseated Maria Giesta, the four-term incumbent who had not faced any challengers since first winning the seat in 2017. Pemberton currently serves as the president of the North End Neighborhood Association, and he campaigned on lowering taxes and improving constituent services.
At the downtown public library, where the recount took place, most members of the current City Council stopped by to watch before some of them headed to their 7 p.m. ordinance meeting across the street. (At the meeting, they delayed their hearing on a slate of zoning proposals until Dec. 15.)
Giesta requested the recount. Former city councilors Jane Gonsalves and Dana Rebeiro were also part of Giesta’s campaign team that oversaw the vote counting.
Giesta, when the results were announced, was somber, and had no comment to share.
Manuel DeBrito, chair of New Bedford’s election commission, said, “The machines are accurate.”
Pemberton will begin serving on the council in January, alongside the other council newcomer, James Roy.
Email Colin Hogan at chogan@newbedfordlight.org
It shows that our machines are relatively reliable why 1? Waste of time and money.
Never doubted the count was off.
We’ll see…. He didn’t come to my door! 🤨
Congratulations and best wishes to New Bedford’s newest City Councilor Scott Pemberton.
Let’s hope he will stand for the good of the residents. We have to change all boards that have been formed from 2012, reason massive decline in the City and in the cities school system. Statistics don’t lie!