The new mayor of Laconia says he was elected because people wanted change.

Mike Bordes, a three-term state representative and former Long Island, New York, resident who moved to Laconia as an adult and made the city his home, defeated Bruce Cheney by a vote of 1,604 to 1,549. There were 23 write-ins.

Cheney, a current city council member who was the city’s police chief for 20 years and is the founder of the state’s 911 system, said he will “ask” about a possible recount of the votes, not saying he will actually call for one.

“Knowing the voting systems are so good now, the vote is probably accurate, but it was only a 1 percent difference,” Cheney said, declining further comment on the election late Tuesday night.

Bordes, a city businessman, said a recount would be “pointless.” He said

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