VIDEO: Selectman Peterson ‘Happy’ to be Reelected; Says ‘There’s a Lot to Do in Town’

Monday's race for selectman in Medfield's annual Town Election was close.

Closer than Osler "Pete" Peterson and his supporters would have liked. And not close enough for Nikolaos "Nick" Athanasiadis and his campaign committee.

In the end, months of campaigning and hard work came down to 14 hours at the polls and an eight second announcement from Town Clerk Carol Mayer.

"Drum roll please," Mayer said. "Nick 590 ... Pete 701. Congratulations Pete."

An outburst of cheers surrounding Peterson as his supporters congratulated him with hugs, smiles and handshakes. The 12-year Medfield selectman was voted back for three more years by 54 percent of the 1,298 residents who made it out to the polls Monday.

"I'm very happy," Peterson said. "Everybody's worked very hard and we are very pleased."

As Election Day neared, the campaigning by both candidates intensified – making for a close race Monday and a voter turnout that had Mayer pleased.

"It was great," Mayer said. "Wonderful ... I'm pleased [with the turnout]."

showed Democracy was hard at work as each selectman candidate, along with his supporters, lined the driveway to the Center at Medfield with signs – greeting voters with waves and showing dedication to their respective campaigns on a frigid, windy Monday.

“Right now, I’m just mainly cold,” Peterson said shortly after his campaign ended in victory. “I think my chin is a little frostbitten. … It was a long day but it’s part of what it is all about.”

Said Athanasiadis: “I froze my butt off [Monday].”

And just after 8 p.m., it was Peterson's supporters celebrating a close victory in what was described as a "difficult campaign."

“It seemed like Nick was very animated in terms of his supporters and they were very organized,” Peterson said. “Clearly they were doing a lot of things … there was a lot of work going on on both sides.”

As for Athanasiadis, he said he was humbled by the amount of support he received in his first ever campaign and congratulated Peterson on the victory.

“It was an unbelievable experience and I made a lot of friends,” Athanasiadis said. “I look at this as a growing experience and it has changed me in many ways. … I called my opponent to congratulate him but I couldn’t get a hold of him so I left him a message.”

Monday's victory would be short lived for Peterson, however, as he was quick to point out there' "a lot" of work to be done in town.

“There’s a lot to do in the town,” Peterson said. “We got to meet with DCAM about Medfield State Hospital. The town needs to figure out the 40B stuff … there’s a lot to do.”

And because of 701 voters Monday, Peterson will be able to "continue the work begun" for three more years as a Medfield selectman.

Watch the video above to see Peterson's interview with Medfield Patch following the announcement of his reelection. To read Nikolaos Athanasiadis' reaction to Monday's election, click here.