WATERLOO - The Hudson mayoral election grew a little tighter and Gilbertville learned the name of a new council member Tuesday.

Members of the Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors canvassed the votes for races in the Nov. 6 municipal elections countywide to certify the results.

While a few candidates picked up a vote here or there, generally from properly postmarked absentee ballots not counted on election night, no outcomes changed.

But it took a count of write-in ballots to determine Barb Sells, with 22 votes, was elected to the Gilbertville City Council. She will join Harold Kavalier, Pamela Marson and Keri Van Horn, who were all on the ballot and elected to council seats.

There was also interest in the canvass to see if the Gilbertville referendum, which would have changed the mayor's term from two to four years, was a success.

Election day results showed the measure deadlocked with 49 votes for and 49 votes against. No additional votes were added in the canvass, meaning the referendum failed. It did not receive a simple majority of 50 percent plus one vote.

The canvass didn't change the outcome in Hudson's six-candidate mayoral race, as former Mayor Bernie Jensen nipped incumbent Mayor Jeffrey Palmer by just two votes, 149-147. But election night results had Jensen winning by four votes.

The canvass of Cedar Falls and Waterloo races was conducted last week because both of those communities have run-off election provisions.

Contact Tim Jamison at (319) 291-1577 or tim.jamison@wcfcourier.com.