A single vote has settled a contested Boston City Council seat, officials announced Monday night.
Julia Mejia won the city's fourth and final at-large seat, beating Alejandra St. Guillen in a tally of 22,492 votes to 22,491 votes.
"I am so overwhelmed by today’s results," Mejia said in a tweet Monday night. "Thank you to all 22,492 people who believed in this #MejiaMovement. Today goes to show that #EveryVoteCounts."
In a statement later Monday night, Mejia thanked the city's Election Department for managing the recount.
"What this election has proven is that absolutely every single vote counts. And that every single vote has value, because, in the end, our vote is our voice in government. We must continue to increase participation in voting to ensure the priorities of all residents in Boston are included in policy-making decisions."
On day one, she said she will work with her fellow councilors "to initiate structural changes in our city government’s policy-making processes, holding all city agencies and city officials – including myself – accountable to the promises made to the residents in all of Boston’s neighborhoods."
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St. Guillen challenged the November election outcome after losing to Mejia by eight votes.
Officials with the city Board of Election Commissioners spent three days recounting approximately 66,000 ballots.
Mejia said in another tweet that she is looking forward to being on the city council and working alongside her colleagues to move Boston forward.
Later Monday night, St. Guillen tweeted, “We believe there are enough outstanding votes to sway the election if challenged in court, and will make a decision Tuesday on a court challenge.”
Mejia would become the council's first Latina councilor and would also join Boston's most diverse council in history, if St. Guillen chooses not to challenge the election results.
