CAPE ELIZABETH — In a Town Council and School Board election that attracted 13 candidates, nearly 70 percent of registered voters turned out to vote.

Councilor Sara Lennon was elected to another three-year term on the Town Council with 2,790 votes, but the other incumbent, School Board incumbent Peter Cotter lost his re-election bid.

In addition to Lennon, Jim Walsh and Jessica Sullivan will fill the other two, three-year seats on the council.

In the race between Frank Governali and Michael Jordan for a one-year seat on the Town Council, Governali won with 2,460 votes to Jordan’s 2,027.

In an e-mail Wednesday morning, Governali said he looks forward to working with other members of the council on the issues that Cape will face in the year ahead.

“And, I thank the voters for giving me the privilege to serve the community,” he said. He declined to say if he will run again next year or serve only the one-year term.

Lennon said she was pleased by the large voter turnout.

“It was such a great experience to be at the polls and meet people I’ve never seen before,” she said. “It is a humbling and educational process to be involved in an election.”

She said she is looking forward to serving another three years on the council and is excited to work with the new members.

“The newly elected officers, both for the town and school, are intelligent, hard-working and passionate people,” Lennon said. “We are going to need this type of hard work and dedication for the upcoming year because it is going to be difficult.”

Walsh, a broker and Realtor at Weichert Realtors-Waterglen Group of Portland, received 2,857 votes. He said he was pleased to receive the largest number of votes, especially since his campaign against Councilor Penny Jordan was unsuccessful in the last election.

“I found that the citizens were very well versed on the candidates and on the issues facing the town,” he said. “Now the fun of campaigning is over and the real work starts.”

Sullivan also ran an unsuccessful campaign last year, but for a seat in the state Legislature. This election she received 2,463 votes and said she was happy to have been elected.

“I am looking forward to getting to work, and am delighted with the results,” she said.

Sullivan said her win may have stemmed from her historical perspective in the town and her concern about spending.

First-time candidates Kim Monaghan-Derrig received 2,048 votes and Christopher Straw had 1,480.

School Board

In a race between six candidates for three, three-year School Board terms, Mary Williams-Hewitt, David Hillman and John Christie were elected.

Williams-Hewitt, a teacher at the Children’s Nursery School in Portland, received the most votes with 2,659.

She said she is known because her four children are in the school system and her volunteer efforts, but said she hopes the support was also due to her passion about the schools.

“It is really exciting,” she said. “The best part of the process was talking to and getting to know more people in the school system.”

Hillman, a semi-retired attorney with Verrill Dana, received 2,535. He said he was grateful to the people of Cape Elizabeth for believing he will do a good job as a School Board member.

“As I said during my campaign, I will do my best to handle as best as I can the huge shortfalls we are facing in funding from the state,” he said.

Christie, owner of a technology company, received 2,086 votes.

He said he was humbled and eager to start work with the other members of the School Board.

“I am really enthusiastic about the fact that Cape Elizabeth voters returned an endorsement of their commitment to strong schools,” he said.

Incumbent Cotter lost with 1,646 votes; Richard Dunham had 1,513 votes, and Fred Sturtevant received 925.

Amy Anderson can be reached at 781-3661 or aanderson@the forecaster.net

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Zo Johnston, a Cape Elizabeth High School sophomore, and Anna Darling, a junior, wave campaign signs at cars on Route 77 after classes ended on Election Day.

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