BANGOR – Voters, by a narrow margin on a snowy Tuesday, tapped downtown businessman Frank Farrington to fill the vacant City Council seat.

In one of the lightest voter turnouts in the city’s recent history, Farrington bested Maple Street resident William Masters in the special election by a vote of 555-497.

The vacancy on the council was created in November, when then-Mayor Michael Aube announced his resignation. Aube’s employer, the federal Economic Development Administration, required that Aube leave the city post, citing a potential conflict in holding positions in both local and federal government.

Farrington, 69, is scheduled to be sworn in before the March 14 council meeting, which will be held at the Bangor Civic Center because of elevator repairs at City Hall.

Reached Tuesday evening, he thanked all the people who took the trouble to go out and vote in Tuesday’s wintry weather.

“It’s an exciting time for Bangor,” Farrington said. “We have a lot of things coming up and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

Masters, 43, also thanked his supporters and congratulated Farrington, whom he said would serve the city well.

Masters, owner of Sweet’s Market, said he would continue to work to try to improve and promote the city’s downtown.

“I will try and make City Hall understand that the downtown is every bit as important as the mall or the waterfront,” he said.

City Clerk Gail Campbell said that Tuesday’s turnout was light at about 5.7 percent of the city’s 18,475 registered voters.

However, the low numbers were not atypical for a special election in which there is only one contest on the ballot.

Campbell added that the threat of a blizzard – in this case a blizzard that wasn’t – also probably kept people at home.

But neither the weather nor the scarcity of races kept Phil and Chris Huckins from the polls. Like many of the die-hard voters who came out in the inclement weather, the Silver road couple cited a sense of civic duty as a reason for braving the blustery conditions.

“I just think it’s what you do,” said 50-year-old Chris Huckins after casting her ballot at the Bangor Civic Center. “I’m just glad this was a contested race, and I think we should support the council.”

In other recent special elections, 1,979 residents turned out for a February 1997 vote in which City Councilor Nichi Farnham bested two opponents. In March 1995, 1,402 people went to the polls for a contested special election that sent Bangor lawyer Timothy Woodcock to the council.

Farrington will serve the remaining two years of Aube’s term on the nine-member council. He will be paid $400 each year.

By precinct, the vote was:

117-1, Mary Snow School: Farrington, 77; Masters 60.

117-2, Bangor High School: Farrington, 77; Masters, 32.

118-1, Abraham Lincoln School: Farrington, 69; Masters, 73.

118-2, William S. Cohen School: Farrington, 75; Masters, 92.

119-1, Fourteenth Street School: Farrington, 59; Masters, 52.

119-2, Bangor Community Center: Farrington, 25; Masters, 26.

120-1, Civic Center: Farrington, 78; Masters, 63.

120-2, James Doughty School: Farrington, 50; Masters, 49.

Absentees and new registrations at City Hall: Farrington, 45; Masters, 50.

Tuesday’s election cost about $9,000, according to city officials.