LONDONDERRY — Sean O'Keefe beat out five other candidates by a wide margin for a seat on the Town Council in yesterday's election.

O'Keefe got 624 votes. The next closest competitor, Tammy Siekmann, received 202 votes.

This was O'Keefe's third attempt at the three-year term, although he did have previous experience on the town's Budget Committee.

"I'd like to think I've been trying and put myself out there," O'Keefe said of his success.

Just 10 percent of Londonderry's 17,050 registered voters cast ballots yesterday and denied the most expensive warrant article on the ballot that would have replaced the North fire station, 947-875.

The $1.9 million article needed support from two-thirds of voters and fell short by about 60 votes.

Council Chairman Brian Farmer, who did not support putting the article on the ballot, said he wasn't surprised by the result.

"We need to wait and be able to put it back when the economy improves," Farmer said.

A $1 million bond for road reconstruction was approved, 1,134-687.

On the school side, incumbents Steve Young and Ron Campo held on to three-year seats on the School Board, fighting off newcomers Moira Ryan and Michele LeBrun.

Voters approved all six warrant articles on the school ballot, including a $60.7 million operating budget and two union contracts.

Superintendent Nate Greenberg said he was happy with the balloting results, especially the teachers' three-year contract worth $1.1 million next year.

The contract will increase to $1.4 million in the second and third years of the contract.

"It's fair to the teachers and fair to the community," Greenberg said.

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