By Mary Delamater,Staff Writer

SABATTUS – A recount of ballots for selectman Tuesday night overturned last week’s election, making Guy Desjardins the winner by one vote.

The tally was 98-97 for Desjardins over William Henshaw.

Friday’s election total was 96-93 in favor of Henshaw, Town Clerk Robin Dulac said.

“I was quite surprised. I gained quite a few votes,” Desjardins said Tuesday night.

The chief deputy of the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Department said, “There were a couple of kids in the audience,” and he told them, “I hope you understand and learn that every vote counts. I don’t care what anybody says.'”

Henshaw, 73, said he was surprised, too.

“I’m surprised that people can’t read the instructions” on the ballot, he said.

Some voters put check marks on the ballots instead of filling in ovals.

Henshaw said he and Desjardins agreed that the check marks showed the intent of the voter and should be counted, even though the voting machine rejected them.

“We both agreed that they should be counted,” he said.

Most of those ballots went to Desjardins.

The recount began at 6 p.m. at the town office, with Desjardins and Henshaw in attendance. There were 356 ballots cast in the five-way race that had to be tallied.

“We counted them twice to be sure,” Desjardins said.

He said he didn’t think he would win the election, but, “I felt like it was a duty for me to ask for a recount because there was only a three-vote difference.”

He said Henshaw supported the move.

“He took it very well,” Desjardins said Tuesday of the recount results.

“I went up to him and said, There’s a part of me that feels bad for Bill Henshaw,'” he said. “He said, Well, there’s a part of me that feels bad for me too,’ jokingly.”

Desjardins has lived in Sabattus for 30 years and said the turnpike interchange, new town office and new elementary school show that the town moving ahead, and he wants it to continue.

“I’d love to see some commercial development,” he said.

The owner of Imperial Luxury Limousine and former Sabattus police chief was a selectmen for five years in the 1990s.

“I’ve got some catching up to do,” Desjardins said Tuesday night, including working with a new Budget Committee and dealing with the impact of the state budget on town finances.

Henshaw, who resigned from the Budget Committee to run for selectman, said he intends to stay involved in town government as well.

“I’ve got my name in for the charter committee,” he said.