Brighton election results certified

BRIGHTON — Washington County Supervisors have made the result of a special election in Brighton official, thus putting Scott Hughes on the Brighton City Council to finish the term of Dave McArtor, who resigned a few months prior.

Hughes’ now-confirmed victory is unusual for a write-in campaign, an approach that often leads to poor name recognition, and perceptions of disorganization among voters. Locals say the candidate intended to get his name on the ballot, but failed to do so when his filing paperwork was improperly submitted.

Hughes, a former mayor and council member, did not immediately reply to a voicemail requesting comments Wednesday morning.

The official election results show a slightly greater margin of victory for the write-in candidate than appeared at first glance. Hughes led the unofficial results published on election night by just two votes against incumbent Cathy Rich — who was appointed to take McArtor’s place — but county supervisors found several write-in ballots that misspelled Mr. Hughes’ name when they canvassed the outcome Tuesday morning.

The voting tally adjustment was anticipated by election officials before the canvassing meeting.

“It comes down to the voters’ intent, and I believe their intent was to vote for Mr. Hughes,” Washington County Auditor Dan Widmer said the morning after last week’s special election.

Rich’s defeat is her second in a row, after losing a re-election bid to the city council last November. She often found herself in the middle of a vicious funding dispute between Brighton’s City Council and its volunteer fire department, which itself endorsed Hughes ahead of the special election.

“Your volunteers who totally work for free don’t feel they can work for/with Ms. Rich,” said a flyer distributed around town with the department’s letterhead. “For that reason, we’d like to see a more logical, reasonable minded individual elected.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com