Every Vote Counts

"MATAWAN — Republican Paul Buccellato, who lost the mayoral race by one vote, is calling for a recount. Buccellato was defeated by Democrat Mary Aufseeser in the Nov. 6 general election. He received a total of 946 votes, and Aufseeser 947. "The best thing to do, since it is a single vote, is to do a recount," said Buccellato, 53, who has served as a councilman since 2001. "It's in the best interest of everyone." (Thompson, Asbury Park Press)

"BOGOTA -- Democrat Joseph Shuler, whose bid to unseat Republican incumbent Anne Marie Mitchell fell short by one vote in last week's council election, said Tuesday he will ask a judge to order a recount. "I want to rest good at night and know that either I won or I lost," he said. "I'm one vote away from being tied, and I'm optimistic that I'll be able to get two votes to win. I'm very close.”

If you add the votes in both communities, you get a dead heat.

Last February in Flemington, Mark Legato won the first of several special elections engendered by a close race from the November 2006 election. He won by a single vote in November, but the election results were thrown out by a judge. And then in large part due to great organizing, and lots of help from Democrats and DFA, he won. I worked on that race, and know from experience that each and every vote counts.

With races that close, don’t let anyone ever tell you that your vote and voice do not count.