HULL, MASS. (WHDH) - The results of a recent election in Hull has been called into question in the aftermath of a massive fire on election day earlier this week.
Local leaders opted to keep polls open late. A judge, though, did not sign off on the decision.
Now, some town meetings have already been postponed as the town can’t certify the election and can’t swear in the presumptive winners of the races until the current issue is resolved.
The fire happened in a home on Q Street, drawing an emergency response as flames billowed over the area. The blaze also temporarily shut down the main road that runs through Hull, leaving the road closed for about one hour.
In an effort to keep the election fair for those who couldn’t get to the polls earlier in the day, Hull’s town clerk decided to extend hours at the town’s lone polling place, Hull High School, by two hours.
The town tried to notify residents, posting a message on social media and sending a reverse 911 call.
Ultimately, however, roughly 80 ballots cast during the extended hours between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. may have to be thrown out after a Plymouth County Superior Court judge denied the town’s request to include the ballots in its count.
In the ruling, the judge also questioned if the disruption from the fire undermined the election’s validity altogether, writing “It is certainly possible that some residents were disenfranchised due to the temporary emergency road closure.”
Patrick Finn ran for a seat on the Hull Redevelopment Authority. He appears to have won by a mere 15 votes.
Asked if he thinks things could have gone differently had the additional 80 votes been counted, he responded “absolutely not.”
“I’m totally convinced that, if those votes were counted, I would still come out on top,” he said.
In a statement, Hull’s town manager told 7NEWS that officials are reviewing the court’s decision and determining the town’s next steps.
“As long as all the legally cast votes have been counted, the election is legitimate and should be certified,” Finn said. “It’s ridiculous to even consider doing anything else.”
7NEWS reached out to Finn’s opponent in this year’s election, who said he empathizes with the position the town is in. He also said this uncertainty only adds to the emotional rollercoaster of running for office.
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