AGAWAM — Exactly 20 days after the town election, Town Clerk Vincent Gioscia certified the Nov. 2 results for mayor, City Council and School Committee.

The certification of the election results was delayed due to the recount petition submitted by School Committee challenger Catherine McDougal. McDougal finished in seventh place with 2,000 votes — only five votes behind fellow candidate Michael Perry. As there are six elected seats on the committee, those five votes were the difference between winning and losing the election.

Gioscia said that even with a gap of only five votes, the recount procedure is not automatic, and required McDougal to submit a petition by Nov. 12.

According to a press release on Nov. 22, “After consultation with the secretary of state’s office, the recount petition was deemed invalid based on Massachusetts General Laws. Therefore, no recount will take place and the results for all elected offices are not in dispute.”

Gioscia informed Reminder Publishing that the recount petition was deemed invalid due to a “technical error.” This petition cannot be resubmitted. He said he did not know exactly how many signatures McDougal had gathered.

McDougal said, “I am disappointed that the recount will not take place and I am disappointed for the people who supported me. Ultimately the oversight that led to the recount petition being denied was my responsibility.”

She continued, “Overall, this has been an educational experience, and I plan to draw on the lessons I have learned and the networks I have built in my future civic endeavors.”

Regardless of the outcome, McDougal said she is proud of her showing as a first-time candidate, and surprised to have received as many votes as she did, given that her campaign got off to a late start.

Having officially landed a seat on the School Committee, Perry said, “It's a relief to have the election finally certified after three weeks.” He added, “I fully support the right for candidates to request a recount and want the will of the voters to be confirmed, especially given the small margin between the sixth- and seventh-place finishers.”

Although there was a possibility for the election results to change, Perry said he had “full confidence” in the election process and the poll workers.

Moving forward, he said, “I feel an obligation to work very hard to earn the trust and confidence of parents, teachers, and fellow citizens in this town. I’m grateful for the support I received and proud to know that a majority of that support came from other parents and teachers, who are directly impacted by decisions made by the School Committee. I love this town and want to see our schools excel, and I can’t wait to get to work.”

Four incumbents will return to the School Committee in 2022: Shelley Borgatti-Reed, Wendy Rua, Dawn Dube and Kerri O’Connor. Perry and challenger A.J. Christopher will accompany them.