By Joe Durwin & Tammy Daniels On: 08:26PM / Tuesday October 18, 2011
Democratic nominee Tricia Farley-Bouvier was the winner of the special election on Tuesday. Right, Mayor James Ruberto totes up incoming election numbers.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Tricia Farley-Bouvier was the victor in Tuesday's special election for state representative.
Speaking at the Crowne Plaza shortly after the polls closed, Farley-Bouvier pledged to supporters: "The next year is about you!"
The Democratic nominee fended off three opponents in an election that saw about 6,000 voters go to the polls, or about 24 percent.
Her victory was slight — 92 votes by some counts — considering her strong backing by the current city administration and deploying some big guns, such as ads with Gov. Deval Patrick.
Hot on her heels was Green-Rainbow Party candidate Mark Miller, who nearly bested former seat holder Christopher Speranzo last year. Speranzo's departure months into his third term for a life appointment in Berkshire Superior Court left a bad taste in the mouths of some voters that Miller had hoped to capitalize on.
He was still excited about the close vote, calling it a "victory for multi-party democracy." Surrounded by supporters at Baba Louie's, he took a jab at the media's coverage of the campaign, especially The Berkshire Eagle that his family once owned as "unfair and appalling."
The Eagle endorsed Farley-Bouvier over the weekend.
Miller said he will not seek a recount but instead devote more time looking into the Occupy Wall Street movement.
Coming in third and fourth, respectively, were indendent Pam Malumphy and Republican Mark Jester.
Unofficial tally via WBEC: Farley-Bouvier: 1,940
Mark Miller: 1,848
Pam Malumphy: 1,333
Mark Jester: 899
This was the second election for Farley-Bouvier, who bested fellow Democrats Peter White and Ryan Scago in a primary three weeks ago.
The excitement was palpable at the Crowne Plaza earlier in the evening as Farley-Bouvier's supporters waited for the numbers to roll in. All but two precincts in the city were open for polling and ballots came in fast and furious.
Friend and former boss Mayor James Ruberto crowed "It's over!" as Farley-Bouvier took an early lead. Miller surged ahead slightly with nine of 12 precincts reporting, but the former city councilor was firmly in front as the final numbers were tallied.
Farley-Bouvier, who's expected to make her first official appearance as representative-elect on Wednesday at a ribbon-cutting at the Conte Federal Building, succinctly summed up the election:
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I think, Too Bad, you meant undeserving instead of underserving, but if you want to cast blame for this, talk to the 80% of voters who did not come out for the election. If you don't like the final choice, you should be screaming at the top of your lungs about the ridiculously apathetic attitude of our local electorate. In Egypt and many other countries they would kill to be able to vote in free elections the way we do, and yet we take it for granted and ignore our rights. Sad.
The Good Ol Boys don't have any boys left in their stable so now they have to do what they have to do. This, as well as the election of Cariddi is an extreme example of how the decline of the GOB network is only going to result in their demise.
And what's with that mexican mascot [edited] has with her all the time?
The cities of Pittsfield and North Adams will hold municipal elections for mayor, city council and school committee in 2015
You may vote absentee: if you will be absent from your town or city on election day, have a physical disability that prevents you from voting at the polls or cannot vote at the polls because to religious beliefs.
Democratic nominee Tricia Farley-Bouvier was the winner of the special election on Tuesday. Right, Mayor James Ruberto totes up incoming election numbers. 
State Election
