Last modified: Thursday, May 1, 2008 1:34 AM EDT

You can call him 'Landslide Bill'

NORTON - New Town Moderator William Gouveia has declined election - but not to the office for which he ran a write-in campaign.

Gouveia won a three-year term on the planning board with a whopping three votes at Tuesday's annual town election.

There were 14 write-in votes for the seat, which drew no official candidates, Assistant Town Clerk Anne Rodrigues said Wednesday; incumbent Duane Knapp declined to seek re-election.

Gouveia said he was sworn in Wednesday as moderator. He defeated two-term incumbent Phillip Warren Jr., 698 to 464, according to official results released by Town Clerk Diane Casagni on Wednesday.

Gouveia said he also gave Casagni a letter declining the planning board post. "I guess I just ran such a good campaign," joked Gouveia, a columnist for The Sun Chronicle.

The planning board and the board of selectmen now must appoint someone to serve on the planning board until the 2009 annual town election, Rodrigues said.