Mistakenly placed write-in ballots left Hobert uncertain as of the close of polls Thursday whether his political fortunes were up or down.
Jerome T. HobertHOLYOKE -- Jerome T. Hobert is on the ballot.
Hobert said Saturday tabulations show he has received 157 write-in votes in the primary election held Thursday and his name will be on the Nov. 6 ballot as the Green-Rainbow Party nominee for state representative.
"I'm in the race. That's good for Holyoke," Hobert said in a voice-mail message.
Confusion had left Hobert's status uncertain when polls closed. Write-in ballots for two of the city's 14 precincts were mistakenly locked away in ballot boxes with regular ballots, leaving Hobert, a political newcomer, at 132 write-ins -- 18 shy of the 150 needed to put his name on the ballot, city clerk staff said.
But votes from those precincts were counted Friday,with permission of the state, and additional write-ins triggered victory, said Hobert.
He who will face Democrat Aaron M. Vega, Republican Linda L. Vacon and write-in hopeful Miguel A. Vasquez
They are competing to replace Michael F. Kane. A Democrat, Kane had held the 5th Hampden District seat since 2001, until leaving in June for a job with Columbia Gas of Massachusetts.