NORTH ROYALTON – Voters decided the outcome of the Ward 5 race with Vincent Weimer besting Dawn Carbone-McDonald, but Ward 1 results could lead to a recount with the final unofficial tally separated by a mere two votes.

According to unofficial results from the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, Jessica Fenos, 40, was up by just two votes, earning 617 votes, or 50.08 percent. Anton Krieger, 20, secured 615, or 49.92 percent of the votes, which will most likely lead to a recount later this month.

Both say this goes to show that every vote counts.

“Don’t ever let anyone say your vote doesn’t count,” Fenos said. “We ran a campaign on the issues and believe that we will succeed. I am thankful for all of the support that I have received throughout this process. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, and I am ready to take on the challenges and responsibilities as a council representative.”

“With absentee ballots still coming in, I am hopeful that the election can still go my way to overcome the two votes I was short of winning. No matter the outcome, this election has been nothing short of a privilege and my service to our city will not stop with this election,” Krieger said.

In Ward 5, Weimer earned 568 votes, or 53 percent, and Carbone-McDonald 503 votes, or 47 percent.

Weimer, who has been attending council meetings, said he is anxious to hit the ground running.

“As I promised in my campaign, I want to hear your ideas and thoughts on the issues that face us, and I encourage you to begin reaching out to me with any concerns or ideas you have,” he said. “I look forward to serving my community over the coming months and years. It is my desire to leave Ward 5, its residents and the city of North Royalton, better than when I started.”

The winners will join the three other newly elected council members of the uncontested races: Linda Barath, 62, in Ward 2; Jeremy Dietrich, 39, in Ward 4; Michael Wos, 39, in Ward 6; and the two sole veteran councilmen, Paul Marnecheck, 37, who will move up from Ward 4 representative to council president next year and incumbent Ward 3 Councilman Dan Langshaw, 33.

The two school board races were also uncontested.

School Board President Dr. John Kelly, 67; Vice President Anne Reinkober, 63; and member Heidi Dolezal, 65, will each serve another four-year term on the North Royalton Board of Education.

Current school board member Jackie Arendt will not be up for re-election until 2021. Former member Dr. Susan Clark was also not up for re-election but resigned back in June to seek a teaching opportunity in Norway.

After an interview process, the board selected Terry DeLap, 63, to serve in Clark’s vacated seat through the end of the year. A special election was held Nov. 5 for the remaining two years of Clark’s original term, which DeLap secured as no other candidates filed for the position.