By JOSEPH FITZGERALD

BURRILLVILLE — It’s official. Debra L. Stockwell has won election to the Burrillville School Committee.

Stockwell will join other newly-elected members of the School Committee and the Town Council at a swearing-in ceremony tonight at 7 o’clock in the high school media center, 425 East Avenue, Harrisville.
The final election results from the Nov. 4 election had Stockwell unseating incumbent Peter F. Lambert for the third available seat on the School Committee by 22 votes. Stockwell had 2,020 votes and fourth-place finisher Lambert had 1,998 votes. Lambert challenged the results and a recount was held by the Rhode Island Board of Elections on Nov. 17.
The recount upheld Stockwell’s victory (2,011 to 1,990), but there were 33 questionable ballots that had to be reviewed by the Rhode Island Board of Elections staff before the results could be certified. The 33 ballots were rejected by the voting machine for one reason or another.
After those ballots were examined on Nov. 24, Lambert picked up one extra vote and Stockwell’s total remained the same leaving her the official winner by a 21-vote margin.
The certified vote totals are 2,011 for Stockwell and 1,991 for Lambert.
“The vote has been finalized and now it’s time to get on with the business of the School Committee,” Stockwell said yesterday.
After Town Clerk Louise Phaneuf administers the oath of office to the elected candidates tonight, both the School Committee and Town Council will reorganize. The School Committee, which will choose a chairman and vice chairman, will reorganize in the media center, and the council, which will nominate a president and vice president, will reorganize in the cafeteria.
Taking the oath of office on the School Committee will be Stockwell, Dorothy A. Cardon and Joan M. Cote.
See ELECTION, Page A-2
Newly-elected members of the Town Council taking the oath are Nancy F. Binns, Margaret L. “Peggy” Dudley and Kevin D. Heitke.
Stockwell is a former longtime member of the School Committee who served in the early to mid 1990’s. Lambert served on the School Committee in the 1990s and then lost a bid for re-election in 2002. He won his second four-year term on the committee in 2004.