HOLYOKE — Five new faces will join the City Council following Tuesday’s elections, with challengers Patricia Devine, Michael Sullivan and Howard Greaney winning at-large seats, Meagan Magrath-Smith taking the Ward 7 seat and Carmen Yolanda Ocasio prevailing in Ward 2, according to unofficial results from the city clerk’s office.
At-large Councilor Jose Maldonado Velez lost his reelection bid, coming in eighth out of nine candidates in the battle for six seats. Mimi Panitch and Axel Fontanez also fell short in their vote totals.
In the crowded field, incumbent Tessa Murphy-Romboletti was the top vote-getter with 2,668, followed by newcomer Devine with 2,538 and incumbents Kevin Jourdain, with 2,480, and Israel Rivera, with 2,471. Sullivan and Greaney rounded out the at-large winners.
Other incumbents on the ballot for council retained their seats. Incumbents Todd McGee, Will Puello, Joseph McGiverin and Peter Tallman did not seek re-election.
On the School Committee, incumbent Erin Brunelle won reelection to the at-large seat over Luissette Arroyo Rosado by 3,042 votes to 1,360, and Gloria Caballero Roca was elected to the Ward 4 seat over Faizul Sibdhanny Jr., 321-51.
The city clerk recorded overall voter turnout of 4,939 or approximately 17%.
In Ward 7, Magrath-Smith bested fellow newcomer Eileen Brady Leahy by 834 votes to 486. The two were the top vote-getters in a three-way preliminary election in September.
Turnout in Ward 7 was just over 30%.
Two newcomers also contested the Ward 2 council seat. With turnout around 7%, Yolanda Ocasio garnered 133 votes against 103 for Janelle Mojica.
Elsewhere, incumbent Jenny Rivera held onto the Ward 1 seat, with 206 votes to Victor Machado DeJesus’ 88. David Bartley retained his Ward 3 seat, with 504 votes to 279 for challenger Anne Thalheimer.
Kocayne Givner bested Ruth Garcia, 216-164 in Ward 4, and Linda Vacon prevailed in her Ward 5 reelection bid with 686 votes to challenger Guy O’Donnell’s tally of 560. Juan Anderson-Burgos was unopposed in Ward 6.
Elected unopposed to the School Committee were Rosalee Tensley Williams in Ward 2, Yadilette Rivera Colon in Ward 3, John Whelihan in Ward 5, William Collamore in Ward 6 and Eleanor Wilson in Ward 7. Rory Casey ran unopposed for treasurer.
There was no official candidate for the Ward 1 seat on the School Committee. Incumbent Gustavo Romero pulled papers but did not return them, City Clerk Brenna Murphy McGee said. Romero ended up with the most write-in votes — nine — and gets to keep the seat if he chooses, she said.