Candidates Denlea and White Move on to November Election

Attleboro City Council Ward 5 candidates and will move on to the November election. 

Newcomer Jeremey Denlea garnered the most votes with 128 votes, or 37.32 percent, while Duff White was in second with 111, or 32.36 percent of the vote, according to Elections Manager Maryanne Draine. Former City Councilor Jerry Chase had a total of 85 votes. Howard Levine, garnered 19 of votes.

"I am thrilled tonight to beat an incumbent by 17 votes," Denlea said  after the votes were counted. "I look forward to all the hard work leading up to November."

Denlea thanked all of his supporters who came out to vote.

"If you look at my victory it is a microcosm of Ward 5 as a whole," he said. "I received support from higher socioeconomic, lower socioeconomic, Caucasian, Latino, African American and Cambodian voters. If we can repeat this again in November, it is the perfect pattern to victory."

The candidate went on to say that he believes it is time for a new voice on the City Council and that "there is a clear distinction between Mr. White and myself and that is temperament."

"Now the work starts," White said, standing outside the election office Tuesday night. "I think I'll be campaigning mostly on what I've been able to accomplish."

White was referring to his lobbying to keep from opening a facility in Attleboro, and the, which would ban Level 2 and Level 3 sex offenders from city-owned buildings and parks.

"If we don't protect the children we're just asking for trouble," White said.

Despite his decision to run for re-election the night before the preliminary election, the councilor admits he has to garner support from those who were disappointed about his initial decision not to run for the another term.

A total of 9.6 percent, or 343, of Ward 5's 3,562 registered voters cast their vote, a number that was upsetting to some candidates.

"I'm always disappointed that it is anything less than 100 percent turnout," White said. 

Jerry Chase could not be reached for comment.