ARCHAMBAULT

HAWKINS

TOCCO

SMITHFIELD — Republicans lost their grip on the Town Council last night when voters ousted two incumbents, including the council president, Richard A. Poirier.

In the race for School Committee, Democrats retained control, but their majority was shaved to 3 to 2.

Meanwhile, town voters overwhelmingly approved a $5-million bond issue to repair town roads.

In order of votes received, the council winners were Stephen G. Tocco, who had been the lone Democrat on the five-member panel, Stephen R. Archambault and Bernard A. Hawkins, both newcomers and both Democrats, and Republican incumbents Michael J. Flynn and Ronald F. Manni.

Maxine A. Cavanagh, a Republican, lost her bid for reelection.

In the School Committee race, also in order of votes received, voters reelected the chairwoman, Democrat Virginia G. Harnois, Republican Erin L. Donovan, and Republican incumbent Richard B. Iannitelli. Tocco was first elected in 2004. He is chief of the capitol police, who provide security at the State House.

Archambault is a lawyer with offices in Warwick. He was an intern with the state attorney general’s office in 1999. From 1988 to 1990 he was a legislative assistant intern in the U.S. Senate. He received a law degree in 2000 from Roger Williams University School of Law; a master’s degree from Salve Regina University in 1996, and a bachelor’s degree from American University in Washington in 1990.

Hawkins is regional manager for the state division of parks and recreation. He graduated from Smithfield High School in 1981 and attended Southern Connecticut State College. Hawkins ran for council unsuccessfully in 2004.

Poirier has served a dozen years on the council and usually was among the top vote getters. He teaches high school in Brockton, Mass. A 1966 graduate of Providence College, he later received a master’s degree in science from the University of Wisconsin

Flynn, who is vice president of the council, was a state senator for 22 years. He lost that office in 2000 and won election to the Town Council in 2002. He is a professor of mathematics at the Community College of Rhode Island, where he has taught for 37 years.

Manni, a retired Smithfield police officer, won election to the council in 1998. He lost a reelection bid in 2000 but was reelected in 2002.

The final figures for the council race from the board of elections were: Tocco 4,800 votes; Archambault, 4,402; Hawkins, 4,261; Flynn, 4,213; Manni, 4,099; Poirier, 3,812; Cavanagh 3,667; Joseph L. Chiodo, Democrat, 3,426; Rudolph A. D’Agostino, Republican, 3,336; and Robert A. Goralski, Democrat, 3,097.

The figures for School Committee were: Harnois, 4,813; Donovan 4,346; Iannitelli, 4,244; Charles F. Martineau, Democrat, 3,914; Christopher J. Kent, Democrat, 3,623; and Michael S. Gross, Republican, 2,529. The top three win seats on the committee.