WESTBROOK — Jim Violette failed in a recount Monday to make up the two-vote difference between him and Elizabeth Schultz for the Ward 5 School Committee seat.

After a five-hour recount of Nov. 6 votes, Schultz’s lead was increased from two votes to six, besting Violette 884-878. Each candidate provided three counters who were paired into teams, and over the course of the session reconfirmed the amount of ballots cast both in person and absentee. and tallied those that were cast for Schultz, those for Violette and those deemed blank.

Violette, the incumbent and longtime School Committee chairman, told the American Journal last week that the initial result, 881-879, was too close not to ask for a recall. The result was thought to be the closest outcome in recent memory.

“There were 879 people who went out of their way to support me and not asking for a recount would be letting those voters down,” Violette, a financial planner, said last week.

Upon hearing the results Nov. 19 at the Public Safety Building, Violette thanked all those who supported him during his re-election campaign.

“I’d like to say thank you to all those who came out to vote for me. I’d like to thank those who helped me with the recount (counters Ed Rielly, Ed Symbol and Don Esty) and the supporters I had here today,” he said. “Good luck to Beth throughout the next three years.

Schultz, a retired school teacher and administrator and an adjunct faculty member at Southern Maine Community College, said she was thrilled the election was finally over so she can focus on getting up to speed on issues facing the School Committee. She thanked Violette for his professionalism during the race and the recount.

“It’s been very respectful, but it’s time for a change,” she said. “I am tickled pink for my voters and supporters and am looking forward to working with (Superintendent Peter Lancia) and the school board.”

Schultz said she is also looking forward to “getting to know Westbrook in a different and more in-depth way.”

Both Schultz and Violette knew the race was going to be close. Schultz had the endorsement of the Westbrook Education Association and Violette was backed by the Ward 5 Democrats at the Westbrook Democratic City Committee caucus.

“I have to give her credit for pounding the pavement and working really hard, but I think the weight of the (Westbrook Education Association) endorsement and support swayed the election,” Violette said earlier this month.

Schultz said that wasn’t the case.

“From the people I talked to, the WEA (endorsement) did not affect them. They were looking at other things. They were looking at my experience, They were not involved with that and that controversy. They were looking at other things,” she said earlier this month.

Despite her victory, Schultz said her “not having (the Democratic) endorsement made it a little more difficult.”

This was the second recount overseen by City Clerk Angela Holmes. The last recount she handled was three years ago when former School Committee member Alex Stone requested a recount after losing to Steven Berry for the Ward 1 seat 277-270. The recount swung an additional vote in Berry’s direction. Berry run unopposed for the seat this November.

In some cases, the candidate who requested a recount has to pay, but  Holmes said this wasn’t the case in Monday’s recount. According to state statute, in a recount for a municipal office, a deposit is not required if the percentage difference between the two candidates is “equal to or less than 2 percent” in races where the combined vote tally is between 1,001 and 5,000.

Violette, who said has no immediate plans to run for office again, took some time at a Nov. 14 School Committee meeting to thank school staff and fellow school board members and highlighted some of the committee’s accomplishments since he has been aboard.

“Thank you to all of you for working hard together to make Westbrook the greatest school system in the state,” he said.

The schools, he said, have some a long way since he was appointed to the school committee in 2010 and then elected in 2011. The school budget, at that time, was facing a $3.3 million shortfall, necessitating the letting go of 35 employees.

“It was quite the way to come into the School Committee. We have done tremendous things to move forward the district,” Violette said.

Over the last few years, the school committee has invested $175,000 in school security, particularly at the high school; replaced the roof at Canal School; initiated STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) programming at the middle school and elementary levels; begun to squirrel away $100,000 annually for building maintenance and $35,000 annually for equipment replacement; and helped to design new classroom construction at Westbrook Middle School and a large renovation/expansion project at Saccarappa School.

Michael Kelley can be reached at 780-9106 or mkelley@keepmecurrent.com or on Twitter @mkelleynews.

Don Esty and Kim Matthews look over a disputed ballot, in which the voter placed a check mark next to Jim Violette’s name. Esty argued the voter’s intent was known, while Matthews said since the marking was inconsistent with the way the rest of the ballot was filled out, it shouldn’t count. The ballot didn’t end up changing the result of the recount, in which Violette lost to challenger Beth Schultz by six votes.

Ed Rielly and Edith Meserve count ballots early in the Ward 5 School Committee recount process Monday at the Public Safety Building.

Counters chosen by Ward 5 School Committee candidates Beth Schultz and Jim Violette look over ballots that were filed in person on Election Day during a recount effort initiated by Violette.

Jim Violette congratulates Beth Schultz after the Ward 5 School Commitee recount. The recount swung three votes in Schultz’s favor, while Violette lost a vote from what was reported Election Night.