Joseph Deedy spent May 12 appealing to last-minute voters along College Highway during Southwick’s annual municipal election. He prevailed in his race for the open seat on the Select Board against incumbent Diane Gale.
Reminder Publishing photo by Cliff Clark
SOUTHWICK — While three of the last four elections for the open seat on the Select Board were decided by fewer than 83 votes, Joseph Deedy’s drubbing of incumbent board member Diane Gale will stand out as one of the most lopsided wins in recent years.
“Last night honestly caught me off guard. I never walked into this thinking, ‘Oh yeah, we’re definitely winning this thing.’ We just kept our heads down and tried to run a campaign that felt real,” Deedy said on the morning of May 13 in a text.
Deedy carried every precinct by commanding margins over Gale and won by a margin of 1,091-539, or 67% of the 1,630 votes cast during the May 12 town election.
“What stood out most to me wasn’t even the numbers. It was the people,” Deedy wrote.
“You saw tradesmen pulling in after work. You saw people in work boots, dirty sweatshirts, work trucks, folks grabbing 10 minutes between shifts just to vote. A lot of people asked why it was usually just me standing out there waving signs. The answer was simple: you weren’t electing a team. You were electing Joe Deedy, for whatever that’s worth. So, I figured people should see exactly who they were voting for, no smoke, no giant production, no overthinking it,” he added.
“This won’t be easy going forward, and I don’t pretend to have all the answers. But I’m grateful people showed up, grateful they cared enough to vote, and grateful they trusted me with this responsibility,” Deedy concluded.
Gale reacted to the results on May 13.
“Serving our community has been an honor, and I extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who remains engaged in our town’s future.
“As we reflect on this election, I want to acknowledge the importance of public dialogue in shaping our shared path forward. While debate and differing viewpoints are a natural part of civic life, our community is at its strongest when discussions remain respectful, factual, and focused on substantive issues. I am grateful to the many residents, volunteers, and employees who continued to engage thoughtfully and constructively throughout this process.
“I understand that many residents sought what they believed would ensure stability and comfort for the town’s future, and that transformative change can sometimes feel unsettling as new approaches take shape. I respect the outcome of the election and remain profoundly proud of the work we accomplished together.
“I extend my congratulations to Joe Deedy and wish him every success in his continued stewardship of our community. Southwick’s future is best secured when we move forward with mutual respect and a shared commitment to the town we all care about so deeply,” Gale said.
Other races
For the two open seats on the Southwick-Tolland-Granville-Regional School District School Committee, incumbent Ryan Welch Korobkov received 917 votes, and Stephanie Jane Widun received 834 votes. Both were nominated by the Southwick Republican Town Committee. Lynn Comer, who was nominated by the Southwick Democratic Town Committee, finished third with 538 votes. Korobkov and Widun will each serve three-year terms.
In the race for the open seat on the Board of Assessors, William Brown IV, who was appointed to the board last September by the Select Board, retained his seat by besting Elizabeth Lalli, 952-636. Brown was nominated by the SRTC. Brown will serve for three years.
There was one seat with a three-year term on the Dickinson School Trust, with incumbent Gene Theroux running against Debra Patryn. Theroux, nominated by the SRTC, garnered the most votes, 923 to Patryn’s 632.
The last contested race was a seat with a one-year term on the Public Library Board of Trustees. The contest was between Michael McMahon and Kathleen Fischbach, who are both serving on the board now. McMahon received 686 votes to Fischbach’s 658.
There were two open seats with three-year terms on the Library Board of Trustees, but incumbent Andrea Louise Bugbee was the only person nominated by the SDTC. She received 1,105 votes. There remains an open seat with a three-year term on the board. However, McMahon did get 29 write-in votes.
There were also seven uncontested seats:
- Board of Health – Terry Putnam received 1,162 votes for a three-year term
- Cemetery Commission – Gene Theroux received 1,334 votes for a three-year term
- Community Preservation Committee – John Whalley III got 1,264 votes for a three-year term
- Parks and Recreation Commission – John Whalley III got 981 votes and Rachel Stevenson received 907 votes for three-year terms
- Planning Board – Randy Brown got 1,209 votes for a three-year term
- Town Moderator – Celeste St. Jacques received 1,281 votes for a three-year term
- Water Commission – John Cain got 1,246 votes for a three-year term
