WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Betty Resch was reelected to a second three-year term as Lake Worth Beach mayor in a runoff Tuesday night as voters in Palm Beach County also elected Wellington Village Council and Pahokee City Commission members.
Resch received 60.77% of the 2,572 votes, defeating challenger Andy Amoroso, a former city commissioner, with 39.23%, according to unofficial results.
During the election in March, Resch received 48% of the vote while Amoroso had 31%. Since Resch won by less than 50% of the vote, the outcome automatically triggered a runoff. Two other candidates combined for 20% of the vote.
Wellington
In seat 4, Maria Antuña had 51.75% of the 5,003 votes cast with Shelly Lariz Albright getting 48.25%. They were both vying to become the first Hispanic council member elected.
Antuña received 31.17% of the ballots cast in the five-candidate field in March, earning 33 more votes than Albright at 30.7%.
In seat 1, Amanda Silvestri received 51.79% of the 4,987 votes cast as former Mayor Bob Margolis earned 48.21%. Silvestri was a candidate for the Palm Beach County School Board last year.
In the March 19 election, Silvestri received 31.3% of the vote in the four-candidate field. Margolis had 26.3%.
The election came after the Village of Wellington Council approved a proposal, which removed about 90 acres of land reserved for equestrian activities called the equestrian preserve area. Some people, who supported Sivestri and Atuna, wanted to vote for candidates against development.
Lauren Brody moved to Wellington to ride her horse.
"We're absolutely thrilled," Brody told WPTV reporter Ethan Stein. "We see this as a big turning point in the village of Wellington. We sent out texts. We called people."
Pahokee
In group 1, Everett D. McPherson Sr. captured 53.47% of the 505 votes compared to Monique Gordon with 46.53% in a battle of two newcomers.
McPherson will replace Juan "Johnny" Gonzalez, who failed to advance to the runoff.
In group 2, newcomer Sanquetta Cowan-Williams won with 63.03% of the 522 votes cast, defeating incumbent Sara Perez at 36.97%.
