Updated: Thompson defeats Frizzell, three others

Ben Thompson is sworn in as Lebanon selectman as Town Clerk Laura Bragg administers the oath of office on Tuesday night at the Lebanon Elementary School. (Harrison Thorp photo)

Link to full results at bottom

LEBANON - Ben Thompson walked two-thirds of Lebanon, and that was enough.

The lifelong Lebanon resident and first-time political candidate won easily on Tuesday over incumbent selectmen chairman Robert Frizzell and three other challengers.

Town Clerk Laura Bragg swore in Thompson as selectmen at 9:38 p.m., about eight minutes after he was announced as the winner.

Upon hearing he'd won, Thompson, who finished with 393 votes, acknowledged a tough campaign and thanked his opponents Robie Marsters, who finished with 185 votes, Corinna Cole, who garnered 65 votes and Bettie Harris-Howard, who finished with 115.

Frizzell, who was seeking his third straight term, finished second with 253 votes. He was not present during the counting, nor was he seen throughout the day at the Lebanon Elementary School where voting was done.

Thompson reached out to his opponents and said he hopes they'll stay involved in the town's running.

"I appreciate the good clean race by everybody and I appreciated getting to know all the candidates better and look forward to working with a lot of them. I know many of them will stay involved," he said.

He said he listened to a lot of people during his campaign and hopes do continue listening to residents' concerns.

"I went door to door over two thirds of the town talking to people and that's what I hope to continue to do," he added. "That's what our job is, to listen to the people."

Asked the first thing he wanted to do now that he is a selectman, he said, "Sleep, it's been a long day."

Among major referenda questions, the Old Town Hall renovation plan was soundly rejected, 648-365; Corinna Cole's citizen's ballot to videotape all government meetings passed easily, 681-340; the hiring of a constable to crack down on townspeople who continue using New Hampshire license plates passed, 601-422; and Code Red, a locally controlled reverse 911 emergency messaging plan, was easily defeated, 688-322.

Perhaps the most perplexing tally of the night was on the Special Amusement Ordinance designed to regulate dancing and prevent adult-styled entertainment, which narrowly passed, 495-483.

In other races, Andrea Rose defeated Patricia Endsley for School Board director, 457-405; Beverly Olean took 835 votes in one-person race for school director, Laurence Torno Sr. easily defeated Roger Gilpatrick Jr. for Road Commissioner, 665-324; and Budget Committee tenures went to Christine Torno, 669 votes; Chris Gilpatrick Sr., 445; Nancy Neubert, 21 write-ins; and Chip Harlow, 21 write-ins.

http://www.lebanon-me.org/Public_Documents/LebanonME_BBoard/0405C5DB-000F8513.0/0318_001.pdf