The official results from the Pinellas Supervisor of Elections recount of a race for a seat on the Madeira Beach city commission were tallied on Friday. Those results confirmed political newcomer Deby Weinstein beat incumbent Madeira Beach city commissioner Terry Lister by 5 votes.

  • Unofficial election day results had Weinstein winning by 4 votes
  • Recount gave one more vote to Weinstein
  • Terry Lister previously commission's longest serving member

"I'm just looking forward to serving the City of Madeira Beach," Weinstein said. "I will represent all of those people, whether they voted for me or not, it doesn't matter.”

The unofficial results after Tuesday’s election had Weinstein winning 599 votes to Lister’s 595 votes. Weinstein gained one more vote during the recount.

Lister was running for his fifth term.

“This is my first time to lose,” Lister said. “It's a new feeling for me. It's not a good feeling.”

Lister was first elected to the commission in 2010 and was the longest serving current member. Both candidates agreed the nearly 50-50 vote split reflects a city bitterly divided.

“There is a divide,” Weinstein said. “Hopefully, with people talking, discussing, being more open we can maybe narrow that a little bit."

Lister said he’s worried because Weinstein supports the new majority on the commission, Maggi Black, Nancy Oakley and John Douthirt, who he believes are taking the city in the wrong direction.

"It's difficult for me to say good things about what's happening in Madeira Beach right now, and I think Deby's in that camp,” he said. “So, I'm a little bit concerned, but we will continue to go forward as a city."

Weinstein said she doesn’t always agree with the three commissioners, who often vote together.

"I would never say that I'm really unified with anybody else, ok? I speak my own voice, I always have,” she said. “If I feel the decision is the right thing to do for the community, then I'll do it."

Weinstein will be sworn-in as the new district 1 commissioner next month.