With a mandated recount triggered due to the closeness of the votes following last week’s municipal elections, the Republicans of Newtown’s District 1 found themselves in a battle for which of them would serve on the Legislative Council.

When the Office of the Registrar finished its count on Monday, November 13, it was found that Derek Pisani had picked up one vote, going from 1,249 to 1,250 votes. That recount put him in a tie with Jim Landy, who was announced earlier as the victor for the Legislative Council seat, at 1,250 votes.

While the single vote change was not enough to push any Republicans ahead of the three Democrats who topped the district — Chris Gardner with 1,437 votes, Laura Miller with 1,389 votes, and unaffiliated candidate Steve Hinden, who was endorsed by the Democrats, with 1,267 votes — it was enough to tie Pisani for the fourth open seat with Landy.

Republican William DeRosa’s vote count remained the same at 1,245.

Pisani said he talked “at length” with Landy following the recount, and Landy withdrew and offered his support to Pisani, who was already a councilman.

Pisani said the options were a new election between the two of them, but he thought few voters would be interested in coming out to vote for it; for one of them to concede to the other; or to flip a coin.

“I guess some people in the past have gone with the coin flip,” Pisani said this week. “But Jim decided to concede.”

Pisani expressed disappointment that he and both of his running mates in the district would not have the opportunity to serve together.

“I’ll represent the ticket as best I can,” said Pisani.

Landy said he was happy and honored to have been elected prior to the recount, but when the recount happened and he found himself tied with Pisani, he decided to step aside.

“I think Derek has a lot of experience already on the council, and it was beneficial for him to carry on with the traction he already had,” Landy told The Newtown Bee. “I will continue to stay close and learn more, and in the future, I will try again.”

Registrar LeReine Frampton noted that there was a second recount that could have happened as Democrat Heather Dean with 1,248 votes and Republican Chris Smith with 1,238 votes were also within the 20 vote margin. Smith withdrew himself from that race, however, rendering the recount moot.

Associate Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.