
Bernie Leonard, right, congratulates Rich Gossling on his victory in the Bristol town chairman election.
Voters in Bristol returned incumbent Chairman Rich Gossling to office Tuesday. Gossling received 596 votes to challenger Bernie Leonard’s 436.
The two advesaries shoke hands shortly after the results were announced at Bristol Town Hall.
“He ran a tough campaign,” Gossling said of Leonard.
Both candidates were impressed by what they saw as a very high number of votes cast in a town chairman election.
“I’m happy for the big turnout,” Leonard said. “That said a lot there.”
Gossling said “Historically we don’t get that kind of turnout.” He speculated that typical turnout for this election might be more like 600 total votes.
In the other contested Bristol town race, Ruth Atwood defeated challenger Lori Potoczek 557 to 429.