Local Election Day

Voters across Connecticut headed to the polls this Tuesday to elect their local leaders and decide on many referendums that will decide if money should be spent on big-ticket projects. Most of the elections are focused on local issues, but a few are drawing national attention. The polls opened early at 6 a.m. and closed at 8 p.m. shortly after the numbers started to roll in. While voters were encouraged to wear face masks at the polls, according to the Secretary of the State’s Covid handbook, voters cannot be denied their right to vote.

The Secretary of the State’s office monitored nine towns three times during Election Day. The canvassing helped gauge voter turnout in towns and cities where there has been heavy media attention. Those municipalities are Colchester, Coventry, Danbury, Guilford, Hamden, New Britain, Prospect, Stamford, and West Haven. As of noon Monday, the Secretary of the State’s office said Connecticut had nearly 2.3 million Democrats, Republicans, and voters who aren’t affiliated with any party or registered with other parties eligible to vote Tuesday.

By midday Tuesday, November 2nd, a total of 4,412 voters or 13% of 33,878 registered voters, had cast ballots in New Britain. New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart held off a challenge from Democratic state Rep. Bobby Sanchez. Unofficial results show Stewart was up at least 2,000 votes over Sanchez, who conceded around 9 p.m. Tuesday night. Hamden has continued to be a blue town as Democrat Lauren Garrett won the election as mayor. Moreover, in Danbury, Republican Dean Esposito defeated first-term Democratic Councilman Roberto Alves Tuesday, allowing Republicans to hold onto the seat for an 11th term.

 In West Haven, where a mayoral race intensified after the arrest of a state representative Michael DiMassa he was charged with stealing more than $600,000 in federal COVID relief funds. Rossi has defended her administration, and she reported the situation with DiMassa after she personally reviewed “potentially fraudulent” expenditures. According to unofficial results, Incumbent Mayor Nancy Rossi was only ahead by 24 votes. Republican challenger City Councillor Barry Lee Cohen then refused to concede after Rossi claimed victory, so a recount is expected.

Lastly, Guilford residents have struggled with the question of critical race theory in the race for board of education seats, bringing 5,525, or 34% of 16,309 registered voters to cast ballots as of midday Tuesday. However, according to unofficial results, Republicans who had promised to keep critical race theory out of the schools lost their bid for seats on the board of education.