RAYMOND – In a three-way race for two open seats on the Raymond Board of Selectmen, Raymond voters stuck with the incumbents, Sam Gifford and Lonnie Taylor.

Former Selectman Dana Desjardins, who served for nearly nine years, received 132 votes to Taylor’s 296 and Gifford’s 342. Gifford and Taylor will each serve three-year terms.

Desjardins and Taylor failed to return calls for comment, but Gifford, who is also spearheading the Raymond Revitalization Committee along with resident Wayne Holmquist, said he is looking forward to continuing “widening the tax base” and “committing myself to bring civility to the board.”

Gifford, who stood at the polling place in front of Jordan-Small Middle School all day Tuesday, said there was little turnout in the morning but “it built up later in the day.”

“I am very grateful for people who supported me and I’ll do my best to make them glad they voted for me,” Gifford said.

While Desjardins would not comment on the election, Charley Leavitt, a longtime supporter of Desjardins who was elected last year to the board, said he will now “drop my seven-month request for a letter of appreciation for Dana’s many years of service to the town which has been denied by the chair (Joe Bruno). I realize I no longer have to continue in seeking that because 132 people have done that for us.”

When asked to comment on Leavitt’s intention to drop the letter of appreciation matter, Bruno replied, “The people of Raymond voted resoundingly against Dana’s politics. They want a positive Select Board and they watch what is going on.”

All longtime board members, Bruno, Leavitt and Desjardins have often argued over matters with sometimes visible frustration, which sometimes overflows in outbursts, such as after a meeting in March where Leavitt and Bruno engaged in a heated argument. Bruno and other prominent Raymond residents sent letters to the Lakes Region Weekly last week urging voters to choose Gifford and Taylor, whom they said would push Raymond in a positive direction.

On Wednesday, Bruno, a former Republican minority leader in the state House of Representatives, said in an email he sees Tuesday’s outcome as “overwhelming support for the direction and positive attitude of Sam Gifford and Lonnie Taylor.”

“I believe Raymond voters want the town to move forward with the agenda that the majority of this Select Board has and that is a low tax rate and improved roads,” Bruno said. “While the tax rate is very dependent on the School Budget I must commend that Board for also keeping an eye out for the taxpayers of the district. We all understand the times we are in. I also know that the voters of Raymond want discussion of issues. This can lead to disagreement on some issues, but they want to make sure that there is respectful disagreement. I think re-electing Sam and Lonnie continues the positive attitude shown by most members of the Board.”