The newly elected city council in Bridgeport, Connecticut, failed to elect a president at its inaugural meeting on Dec. 1.
They are likely to pick one at their next meeting, according to a veteran council member.
“It was 27 ballots before I actually got 11 votes to win the council seat as president,’ said council member Ernest Newton, who was the first African American to be elected Bridgeport City Council president in the early 1980s.
Monday’s impasse occurred after neither incumbent Aidee Nieves nor challenger Jeanette Herron obtained the 11 votes necessary from the 20-member body because two members voted against both candidates.
“They should have voted for one or the other candidate,” Newton said.
He believes the issue will be resolved at their next meeting on Dec. 15.
"I’m sure we will pick a president on the 15th,” Newton said, who had supported Herron on Monday.
The third contender in the race is council member Aikeem Boyd. He got in after Monday’s meeting, claiming he’d be a unifying candidate.
