First Democrat in 30 years: Boca Raton mayor’s race decided by only 5 votes

Because the margin remained extremely narrow, the process moved to a manual recount, where election workers reviewed ballots by hand before certifying the results.

By Abe Mermelstien, Jewish Breaking News

After both machine and manual recounts, Andy Thomson has been declared the winner of the Boca Raton mayoral race by just five votes, defeating challenger Mike Liebelson in a contest that drew intense attention across Palm Beach County.

The recount confirmed Thomson received 7,572 votes compared to Liebelson’s 7,567, finalizing a result that election officials described as extraordinarily tight.

The race initially appeared close on election night, with the two candidates separated by only a handful of ballots. Because the margin was so small, Palm Beach County automatically triggered a recount process.

Election officials first did a machine recount, which scans all ballots again to verify totals.

Because the margin remained extremely narrow, the process moved to a manual recount, where election workers reviewed ballots by hand before certifying the results.

The final tally confirmed Thomson’s victory, officially making him Boca Raton’s next mayor.

The outcome carries a huge political significance beyond the narrow margin. Thomson’s win represents the first time in more than 30 years that a Democrat will serve as mayor of Boca Raton, a city historically dominated by Republican leadership.

The election was a three-way race that also included Deputy Mayor Fran Nachlas, who finished third.

Liebelson previously indicated he may explore legal options related to the vote count, raising concerns about how some vote-by-mail ballots were reported during election night.

After thousands of ballots were cast, counted, and recounted, the city’s next mayor will take office—thanks to a margin that could fit inside a single row of voters.