GAUTHIER WINS SEAT IN CHAFFEE

CHAFFEE -- Incumbent Ed Gauthier will take back his Ward 2 City Council seat. In a special election Tuesday, voters in that ward picked Gauthier over challenger Janet Sullivan 95-84.

Sullivan, who was making her first bid for a seat on the council, had won the first election, held April 2, by 14 votes. But a judge later ruled that voting irregularities warranted a new election.

"I just lost, that's it," Sullivan said Tuesday night after hearing the election results. "I'm just glad it's over."

Sullivan said she didn't blame anyone for election official's mistakes in the first election that forced her launch a second campaign.

According to Scott County Clerk Bob Kielhofner, election judges had erred by handing out Ward 2 ballots to an estimated 18 Ward 1 voters.

"I don't think it was anyone's fault," Sullivan said. "And I don't think I'm mad about it."

Sullivan said she may try again for the seat.

Gauthier, who also said he was glad the election was over, said he campaigned harder the second time around.

"It was a close election and I congratulate Janet on a good campaign," he said Tuesday night. "I don't think either one of us got into any of the negative aspects."

It will be his third term on the council.

Gauthier said both he and Sullivan campaigned door-to-door for the election. He said before the first election he was "maybe a little over-confident" and didn't campaign much.

As for Tuesday's election, Gauthier said he's glad to have his seat back.

"It was real close, and we both knew it would be," he said. "It always feels good to win."

Kielhofner said turnout for Tuesday's election was sizable. "It wasn't as good as the first one, but there were other issues" on the ballot in April.

"For a single-issue election, it was pretty good," he added. Only voters in the city's second Ward were permitted a vote.