Democratic Challenger, Dr. David Chess, speaking outside the Baldwin Center in Stratford on Wednesday, October 29th, 2025. Credit to Jim Shannon/Hearst Connecticut Media

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Overview

And…..just like that, it’s almost Election Day! Though there is no presidential race or statewide contests this year. Almost every town in Connecticut is holding local elections for powerful positions of authority, such as Mayors, Selectmen, Town Councils, and Boards.

National pundits are paying attention to the off-year gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey. People want a sense of the political environment in the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term. Sometimes, this allows for clues and a possibility of what to expect as we dive into midterms next year.

In addition, Democrats are looking for a way out after being locked out of power in Washington, D.C., post-2024 elections. The idea is that backlash against Donald Trump can help them win in cities and towns across the country. In addition, the Democratic Party is split into factions arguing about how to guide strategies across the country; some hope elections on Tuesday will give some hints on the issues to focus on.

Republicans are hoping to rack up wins after a great 2024 cycle. Though President Trump has lost support on economic and immigration polices, Republicans hope the gains they made with voters of color and young men can hold true in an off-year election, especially as some communities have moved rapidly to the right in the Trump era. This change allows multiple opportunities in local races across the country.

The Connecticut Environment

Connecticut is known for its split-ticket tendencies in local races. Though Democrats dominate federal races in the state in recent decades, Republicans hold several offices in towns Democrats win on the federal level.

In an article from the Hartford Courant, Democrats are expecting to hold seats for mayor in Stamford, Newington, and Danbury, as well as First Selectman in Litchfield and Colchester. They also expect to hold town council majorities in Wethersfield and Coventry.

Republicans, according to Connecticut Republican Party Chair Ben Proto, expect to do well in Torrington, Wallingford, Brookfield, East Haven, Fairfield, Old Lyme, East Lyme, East Hartford, and Danbury.

In an effort to win over voters, Democrats have been tying Republicans to Trump, whose approval rating has dropped throughout the year. Republicans have argued that voters are focused on local issues and that national politics doesn’t play a role in the day-to-day operations of cities and towns.

Many cities have competitive races. Though I can’t cover all of them here, I would love to highlight a few for readers to take a look at. Let’s Dive In!

Danbury

2023 Race

In 2023, Democrats dramatically shifted political power in Connecticut’s largest swing city, Danbury.

Led by Democrat Roberto Alves, who won the mayoral race in a rematch, Democrats flipped five at-large seats and eleven ward seats. Democrats won the mayoral race in Danbury for the first time in two decades.

Alves lost narrowly in 2021 against former Republican mayor Dean Esposito by two points 49-51. Alves won a rematch in 2023 against Esposito in a similarly close 51-49 victory.

2025 Campaign

Incumbent mayor Alves is running for a second term against Republican City Councilman Emile Buzaid Jr.

Though Alves has outraised Esposito by a large margin, holding a $260,000 advantage three weeks prior to the election, another close race is expected in the most competitive race of the state’s largest cities.

Alves has risen as a statewide figure in his short tenure. Governor Ned Lamont tapped Alves as the chair of the Connecticut Democratic Party after the 2024 elections. Alves succeeded Party Chair Nancy DiNardo, who was expected to step down in January 2025.

Lamont was showing City Democrats that he is paying attention to the Democrats’ issue of a drop in the urban vote. He showed he would invest in the party’s infrastructure, tapping the mayor of a diverse city. Lamont said Alves knew the party structure well and liked him as a mayor and an executive with business experience.

During the campaign, Alves has promoted his bipartisan work and how he prioritizes listening to all voices in the community. Alves announced in September that he has Large B-Cell lymphoma, but said he continues to take his responsibilities seriously and said the prognosis was good.

Buzaid Jr. says Alves has failed to improve the city as taxes keep rising under his watch. His campaign is also focusing on creating a Department of Economic Development. This would restore rail service to NYC, promote workforce development, and have a budget to maintain fund balance and credit rating. Alves pointed to millions in infrastructure improvements and bringing the city back from financial collapse.

Alves is favored for re-election due to his new position and his fundraising advantage. Buzaid can put up a good fight due to the City’s political lean, which was a 53-46 margin for Vice President Kamala Harris last year.

Stratford

Democratic Primary

Stratford had a Democratic Primary on September 9th, where Physician David Chess won in an overwhelming 87-13 landslide over Businesswoman Linda Manos. It was the largest victory of the night.

Chess had the overwhelming support of the Democratic Town Committee, along with local politicians.

2025 Race

Republican Incumbent Laura Hoydick has found herself in a tough re-election campaign for a third term against Democratic challenger David Chess

Hoydick won in a landslide in 2021 for her second term, winning 63-37.

Hoydick has been popular while in office. A state representative before she won the mayoral race in a 50-44 victory against her Democratic challenger in 2017. Hoydick has routinely run over the federal lean of the town.

Stratford voted for Kamala Harris by a large 59-40 margin last year. A Trump presidency is bringing out Democrats, making this a competitive race. Many of them may be voting due to the national mood, as a protest against the President. Due to this, Hoydick might see a closer result, similar to the 2017 race. Either way, everyone in town is taking the race seriously. Stratford has led the state in early voting so far with 3535 voters! (As of Thursday)

Main Issues Facing Voters

The police and fire unions both endorsed the challenger Chess. The complaints they have are about pension benefits, as affordability ranks as a top issue in the race. Chess also received the endorsement from 3rd District Congresswoman Rep. Rosa DeLauro

Stratford taxes are also among the highest in the state. The Publication Only in Bridgeport discusses an expected reevaluation of properties expected in 2026. In addition, they also discuss that a poor economic future is predicted due to limited tax growth.

In a recent debate, Hoydick argued that she has been a stabilizing and unifying leader of the shoreline community. She also said that she loves her job, and explained how remarkable the town is. Chess said he wasn’t planning to run for mayor, but explained he felt the town has been squandered due to its economic development.

Chess also advocated for an independent finance committee, disagreed about the development of a 154-unit housing complex, and took issue with council-approved plans to develop Riverside Park. Hoydick defended her tenure, explaining that taxes had not risen during her tenure and said the council’s plans made sense.

When Chess had complaints about education, Hoydick noted that she doesn’t have control over the school district, as the elected school board oversees that.

Chess and Hoydick did agree on protecting the town’s natural beauty and environment. In addition, they were both open to finding more sites for residents to play Pickleball.

What to Expect on Tuesday

This is a difficult race to predict. A town at the local level that is open to voting for Republicans, but backs Democrats solidly at the federal level. It will come down to turnout. If Democrats come out at high turnout, motivated by Republican control nationally, then Chess will win. If enough Democrats continue to cross over and vote for Hoydick, she’ll make it to a 3rd term.

I’m leaning Hoydick, who has long outrun the federal toplines in the town. However, I would not be surprised if Chess wins on Tuesday.

Milford

2025 Race

Milford is a true 50/50 town. Kamala Harris won the town by a mere 0.55% , 47.3-46.7.

Incumbent Mayor Tony Giannattasio is facing former mayor Rich Smith. Smith was appointed in 2023 to succeed Mayor Ben Blake, who resigned to take a job as an administrative law judge. Smith did not run in 2023.

Giannattasio won his first term in November 2023, defeating Democrat Kerri Rowland 52-48.

Smith not running for the top post in 2023, Democrats say, might have cost them the mayorship. Smith, though, came around and realized how much he enjoyed his time in the mayor’s change and started planning a comeback. He has been a longtime staple in Milford Democratic politics, serving as the DTC chair for years and as chair of the police commission.

Smith and Giannattasio have argued about the reasons for tax increases. Smith says he’ll keep them lower than the mayor’s GOP budgets, but Giannattasio says it’s lower than Smith calculated, and it’s covering costs ignored by the previous administration.

Gianntassio says he is focused on the economic growth of Milford, establishing 55+ housing, and properly funding city departments. He said his increase of funding for Milford’s police and fire departments, and the sale of city-owned properties, have helped the town.

Smith says he will drive down tax increases and stabilize the city’s economy. He says his private sector experience will help him manage the budget better to cut costs efficiently.

Recent History of Mayoral Races

Milford, like many towns in the state, finds it very difficult to dislodge an incumbent mayor. Though President Joe Biden won a larger 55-44 victory in 2020, Democrat Mayor Ben Blake won a massive 69-31 victory in 2021 and a 67-33 victory in 2019. The town then flipped to Republican Giannattasio 52-48 when Blake did not run again.

Similarly, in 2009, Incumbent Republican Mayor James Richtelli Jr won a large 60-27 victory for a 5th term. He did not run again in 2011, and Blake flipped the town back 56-42 against Republican Bernard Joy.

Two things could happen: Giannattasio wins a 2nd term, like many of his predecessors, or Smith pulls an upset, and a result similar to the federal toplines would occur.

I am leaning towards Giannattasio, though I don’t think the margin would be as large. However, I would be surprised if Smith pulls an upset, based on the history of Milford elections, as it seems they generally re-elect their incumbents. Smith, though, might have a unique opening as someone who served as mayor for a few months. Also in 2016, Hillary Clinton won a similar margin to Kamala Harris in the town of Milford, winning by a mere 0.8%, suggesting that the town’s shift to the right from 2020 isn’t a permanent change, and voters clearly are willing to vote for either party.

Newtown

2025 Race

Republican incumbent First Selectman Jeff Capeci is running for a second term against Democrat Bruce Walczak. Walczak is also running on the Independent Party ballot line.

Their running mates for Selectman, Capeci, is running with Republican Charlie Gardner. Walczak is running with Democrat Paul Lundquist.

Capeci was the leading Republican who chaired the town’s legislative council prior to his election as First Selectman. Capeci has served in a variety of elected roles, including the Board of Selectmen and the Charter Revision Committee. He has a background in engineering career manufacturing software development.

Capeci, a 29-year resident of Newtown, says he will focus on maintaining fiscal responsibility and transparency by expanding Newtown’s commercial and industrial grand list through smart, sustainable development. Capeci mentions the revitalizations of Fairfield Hills, preserving Newtown’s rural charm, enhancing public safety, and infrastructure.

Walczak is a businessman and entrepreneur. Walczak cites his business experience on his website, supervising teams of 250+ employees, as a reason why he can manage Newtown’s $40 million budget. He has served as an elected member of the Newtown Police Commission and other boards, such as the Business Advisory Commission and the Economic Development Commission.

Walczak, a 34-year resident of Newtown, says he is running because he cares deeply about the town and the people. Walczak is also running on being “laser-focused” on the few things that matter to every resident, such as budgets, infrastructure, schools ,and smart development. He cites the Republicans’ board not being focused and looking at book bans instead.

Prior Mayoral Races and Political Environment

Walczak, notably, was on the ballot for First Selectman all the way back in 2009 as an Independent Candidate. He got 27.7% of the vote, splitting the vote with Democrat Gary Fetzer. Republican Mayor Patricia Llodea won re-election.

I thought this race could be competitive, as in the 2023 open race for First Selectman, Capeci won by 123 votes, in a close 51-49 victory against Democrat Dan Cruson. This was also the first contested race in Newtown since 2017.

Newtown voted 54-44 for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

Though Walczak has run as an independent multiple times with limited success, being on both the Democratic and Independent ballot lines can bring him some appeal. I think the 2023 narrow victory for Capeci makes him vulnerable, but he is the incumbent now. This race has not gotten as much media coverage as other local races, meaning maybe Capeci is seen as more favored than the toplines suggest, but we will have to see what happens.

Brookfield

2025 Race

Democratic incumbent First Selectman Steve Dunn is running for a non-consecutive fifth term in the town of Brookfield. He is running alongside Democratic incumbent Bob Belden.

Dunn is facing off against Republican Karl Hinger. Hinger is running alongside Republican Alan Donnelly for the position of Selectman.

Hinger mentioned during his nomination at the Republican caucus, his top issues are cutting back on overdevelopment and large-scale multifamily housing. He is also focused on fiscal responsibility to be “smarter without debt“. Hinger has been a member of Brookfield’s Zoning Board of Appeals since 2021.

Dunn’s Non-Consecutive Terms in Office

Dunn was Brookfield’s First Selectman from 2015 to 2021. In 2019 and 2021, he won by large margins. He won 63-37 in 2017 and 56-44 in 2019.

Dunn, however, was knocked out of the town’s top position in 2021, where he lost 47-51 against US Army Veteran Republican Tara Carr. Carr won and was determined to bring Brookfield’s historical Republican roots by keeping taxes low, supporting education, and small business.

Carr’s tenure did not long as First Selectwoman. Dunn won his job back as First Selectman in 2023, winning comfortably 54-46.

This is one of the towns that Trump carried last year in the Presidential election, where Democrats hold the top position in the town. Trump won 51-47.

Due to the back-and-forth change of party control, I expect a close race in this Trump town. However, I think Dunn can win a 5th term as he will benefit from increased Democratic turnout similar to 2023 and 2017. Dunn has proven, though, that incumbents who won by comfortable margins two years prior, however, aren’t safe. So like every other race on the docket, an upset can’t be ruled out.

We will see what happens!

East Granby

2025 Race

Finally, the town of East Granby.

Republican Selectwoman Eden Wimpfheimer is running for a third term against Democratic challenger Jason Hayes.

Hayes is leading a 17-candidate Democratic slate heading into Tuesday’s election, where Democrats have a candidate for every office on the ballot. Wimpfheimer is running alongside Republican Todd Zessin. Hayes is running alongside Democrat Amanda Thompson for Selectman.

Wimpfheimer, a 25-year resident, previously served on the town’s select board. In addition, she works as a realtor since 1999 with Berkshire Hathaway.

Wimpfheimer is running on town progress by revitalizing infrastructure, supporting local business growth, and making East Granby an attractive place to live.

Hayes is running on issues that affect the town’s safety and financial well-being, according to his website. This includes questionable land sales to family and former business associates, the deficit in the town’s general fund due to years of inaction, and examples of financial liability to the town itself.

Hayes’s background is not in politics. He has spent 30 years working as a Celebrity Wig Artist, working with networks like CBS, NBC, and Netflix. Before his career, he worked in the insurance industry. Hayes believes that the town’s well-being is not being represented or protected under the current Selectwoman Wimpfheimer.

This race is expected to be very close. Wimpfheimer has won by identical 52-48 majorities in both 2021 and 2023. Prior to Wimpfheimer’s 2021 victory, Democrat First Selectman James Hayden won a large 60-40 victory in 2019. Wimpfheimer has performed close to the federal topline in this election, with no increase after her 2021 victory. Kamala Harris won East Granby 52-46 last year.

Local Democrats Coming to Campaign

Democrats, sensing an opportunity, have been pulling out all the stops to help bring Hayes over the top. Some of the biggest names in the state, including Senator Chris Murphy, Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, former Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin, and State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest, have been campaigning alongside Hayes.

Hayes has been open about his dislike of Donald Trump and the MAGA movement, saying he’s not apologizing for those beliefs as a gay candidate. Hayes, who moved into the community with his husband, continued to get more involved; he wanted the top spot in the town.

Incumbent Wimpfheimer has been focused on her record, which includes an increase of the grandlist, a new town manager, an affordable housing plan, and revitalizing infrastructure. She also cited her dislike of negative campaigning, saying I have nothing to say about my opponent.

Wimpfheimer said she focuses on local government when asked how she feels about President Trump.

Hayes seems to be attracting some energy for his campaign, not only bringing out notable state Democrats, but a fiery speech talking about how he would battle Republicans and his outfit while campaigning with a leather motorcycle jacket, brown boots, and jeans, not looking like a typical politician.

Bronin marked how Hayes is not afraid to go everywhere, and how he has a lot of energy.

What to Expect on Tuesday

An incumbent like Wimpfheimer is difficult to knock out. She seems not to be focused on MAGA politics, but the governing of the town. That can help her stay ahead in a Harris +6 town. However, she has had two consecutive narrow victories, and this race seems to have attracted more attention.

Currently, I’m leaning towards Hayes for an upset against Wimpfheimer. East Granby has had, as the Hartford Courant describes it, a “mixed voting history”. It has voted for Democrats on the presidential level in 2016, 2020, and 2024. Though Wimpfheimer has won two terms as a Republican, Democrats controlled the First Selectman position for 25 years. At the same time, Republicans have dominated races in the state legislature. It’s a close race, but local dynamics and turnout will play a large role in this race, which makes me lean toward Hayes, due to an expected increase in Democratic turnout, but it will be close.

Conclusion

I want to be clear, there are way more competitive races in the state than I could write about myself.

But this is just a few I wanted to bring to your attention. Some races I mentioned may not end up being competitive. But some towns, I think, will be competitive. It’s hard to say what’s going to happen in certain towns and cities; sometimes turnout is not what is expected, or a town breaks a long-running pattern. However, it’s all very exciting.

There could be multiple upsets, surprise victories, and unexpected results. I’m excited to see what unfolds on election day!

Anything can happen.

Thanks for Reading!

Barbara Smyth, Democratic nominee for Norwalk mayor, door-knocking with State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff on September 8th, before the Democratic primary. Source: Bob Duff/Facebook

Table of Contents

Early Voting

Early Voting begins today, October 20th, for local municipal elections. This offers registered voters two weeks to cast ballots for local mayors, selectmen, council members, and board of education members ahead of Election Day. Election day will be on November 4th.

The times of Early Voting are listed below:

Mon Oct 20th to Mon Oct 27th, Oct 29th, Oct 31st to Nov 2nd – 10:00am to 6:00pm

Tuesday Oct 28th, Thursday Oct 30th – 8:00am to 8:00pm

Election Day – Nov 4th – 6:00am to 8:00pm

Early voting locations can be found here. Each town has one designated location for early voting.

Voter registration is offered at early voting sites, and absentee ballots can be requested by visiting myvote.ct.gov/getmyab.

Overview

Though I cannot cover all elections taking place on November 4th, I would love to dive into elections in the state’s six largest cities.

I will have another article later in the week discussing some competitive races across the state.

By population, the state’s largest cities are Bridgeport, Stamford, New Haven, Hartford, Waterbury, and Norwalk.

It is important to note that not every city or town has a mayoral race this year. In those cities, we will talk about council races and other local races if applicable.

Let’s dive in!

Bridgeport

Longtime incumbent Democrat Joe Ganim is not up for re-election this year. Ganim ran in four separate elections in 2023-24 to claim another term after his initial Democratic primary win was marked with ballot irregularities in a race that garnered national attention.

Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas launched a special advertising blitz to remind city residents how to properly cast their ballots. This is an effort to not have another election marked by allegations of ballot fraud. 13 Individuals have been charged in connection with the misuse of mail-in ballots in the last two mayoral elections. Thomas wants voters to know the legal rules of returning absentee ballots.

There are races this year for the positions of Board of Education, City Sheriff, and Councilmen.

There are also two charter revision questions. Question 1 asks voters to approve a charter amendment to strengthen ethics, reform civil service, and establish uniform standards for departments and boards. Question 2 asks voters to discontinue the election of the positions of Town Clerk, City Clerk, and Municipal Sheriffs by 2031, after which they will be filled by a non-partisan civil service selection process.

Board of Education

Bridgeport 2025 Ballot for Board of Education and City Sheriff. Source: Secretary of State

Bridgeport is a very Democratic city. Kamala Harris won here 73-26 last year. However, unlike some other towns, Independents have gotten a decent portion of the vote across all races, running ahead of the Republican ticket.

Mayoral challenger John Gomes was about 200 votes short of Joe Ganim on their election day bout as an independent. The Independent candidates for city sheriff got more votes than the Republicans also in 2023. Independents all got about 3,000 votes, while Republicans got around 1800 votes. The result was similar on the Board of Education.

This year, incumbents Joseph Sokolovic and Robert Traber are running on both the Independent and Working Families ballot lines.

Chair Jennifer Perez will run as a Democrat. She was named chair last year after former chairperson Christine Baptiste-Perez faced criticism and lost a vote. She was supported by Traber and Sokolovic, along with two other members. Democrats are basically a lock for the three majority seats available this election.

The two minority seats will be between the Republicans and incumbents Sokolovic and Traber. Joe Sokolovic won on the Working Families line 4 years ago, and Independent Willie Medina won 2 years ago. As seen in the 2023 results, Republicans have been lagging behind Independents for the last two seats. This year will be another test, but Sokolobic and Traber are likely favored.

Councilmen

Democrats are heavily favored in all council districts. Though they are independents running in some districts, they will struggle despite the controversies with some incumbent council members. Of the 13 individuals charged with the absentee ballot investigation, this includes incumbents Alfredo Castillo and Maria Pererira. Despite this, Pereria won her primary in September, and both have continued to win re-election despite their controversies and the ongoing investigation.

Stamford

Mayor

Incumbent Democrat Mayor Caroline Simmons is running for a second term. She faces Republican former Board of Education member Nicola Tarzia. Simmons will also be on the Independent Ballot line.

Simmons won a difficult 2021 campaign against Independent former MLB manager Bobby Valentine. After successfully primarying Incumbent Mayor David Martin in a landslide 63-36 victory. Simmons won a close 53-47 victory against Valentine in the general election.

Simmons and her faction have won multiple battles on issues ranging from charter revisions to city committee primaries. She and her allies were also able to oust two local state representatives who disagreed with them. In the recent Democratic primaries, Simmons endorsed allies all won their primaries, as she has successfully installed her allies in all committees across the town through multiple primary elections.

At a recent debate, Simmons and Tarzia both said they were interested in developing the South End of the city. A question on the train station in the south end, Simmons talked about continuing parking opportunities and rezoning land around the station to create new housing. Tarzia mentioned how he said there should also have been more amenities around the station.

Tarzia, a former member of the board of education for a decade (from 2000 to 2004, and 2016 to 2022), told the CT Examiner how the city’s government is a monopoly dominated by Democrats, and due to that, the party dominance has meant the city government isn’t improving. He hopes to bring ‘balance’ and bring other voices into the mayoral-appointed committees.

Since this is a typical party-line race, unlike her 2021 race, Simmons is expected to easily beat Tarzia in this 63-36 Harris-won city. Pavia had optimism he could win in an upset, in his interview with the examiner. The last Republican to win the mayoral office in Stamford was Michael Pavia in 2009, who served for one term.

Boards/Town Clerk/Constable

There are several other races on the ballot in Stamford. This includes the Town Clerk, Board of Finance, Board of Education, Constable, and Board of Representatives.

Democrats are favored in the races for Town Clerk, Board of Finance, Board of Education, and Constables.

For the Board of Representatives, some districts are closer than others. In 2023, District 18 had a 7-vote margin of victory for Democrat Karen Camporeale against Republican Stephen Garst.

In 2021, there was a close race in District 17 where Democrat Bobby Pavia beat Republican Maria Fedeli 52-48, showing how it really depends on the district.

New Haven

Mayor

In New Haven, Democratic Incumbent mayor Justin Elicker is running fourth term against Republican challenger Steve Orosco.

Elicker will also be on the Working Families Ballot Line. Orosco will also be on the Independent Party Line.

This was the first time in his tenure that Elicker did not face a Democratic opponent in a primary.

At their September 30th debate, Elicker and Orosco discussed topics ranging from crime to affordable housing to federal government intervention.

Orosco said he intends to improve crime statistics by fulling staffing and funding the police department. He said, “Everything is a band-aid, we are not attacking the root of the problem,” while discussing why more police enforcement is needed. Orosco also discussed making sure Yale is accountable to pay more taxes. Elikcer said Yale has been accountable.

Elicker talked about the city’s ongoing effort to increase affordable housing.

On discussions about ICE, the two candidates varied. Orosco said he believes ICE activity will be a non-issue after recent changes on enforcement, and said he would accept help from the National Guard if needed. Elicker said ICE is not welcome to the city, and help from the National Guard is not needed or wanted.

Elicker is heavily favored to win a fourth term in one of the most liberal cities in the state. Kamala Harris won New Haven in an 81-17 landslide last year. The last time a Republican was elected mayor of New Haven was in 1953. Elicker has also never gotten less than 70% of the vote in his last three mayoral races.

Alderperson/City Clerk/Board of Education

Democrats are heavily favored to hold all of their seats. Republicans don’t hold any seats on the 30-member board of Alders.

Republicans are also only running candidates in Ward 3, Ward 8, Ward 12, Ward 13, Ward 18, and Ward 30.

The reddest Ward in New Haven is the 18th, but even the 18th Ward was 59-41 for Kamala Harris. This will likely be the most competitive race of the Alderperson races due to partisan lean, but Moore is expected to win. Zelma Harris, who lost to Moore in the September 9th primary, is on the ballot as a petitioning candidate.

An Independent is running in Ward 16, Rafael Funtes Jr.

There is a race for City Clerk between Democrat Michael Smart and Republican Deborah Reyes-Quinones. Smart is also on the Independent ballot line.

There is also a race for the Board of Education District 1 between Democrat Edward T Joyner and Republican John Carlson.

Democrats are favored in both races.

Hartford

Board of Education

There is only one race on the ballot in the state’s capital city. Hartford Mayor Arunan Arunanpalam won a 4-year term in 2023, so he won’t be on the ballot this year along with the rest of the council.

In the Board of Education race, the four candidates running are Democrats Francoise Deristel-Leger, Cristher Estrada-Perez, Tyrone Walker, and Working Families Candidate Shonta Browdy.

Voters can vote for up to 3 candidates, but since there are 3 majority seats and 1 minority seat, all four candidates will win. No Republicans filed for this office.

Waterbury

Democratic Incumbents Michael Dalton and Stephen Conway are both running unopposed for the positions of City Clerk and City Sheriff.

Incumbent Democratic Mayor Paul Perenerswki won’t be on the ballot this year, as he secured a four-year term in 2023.

Board of Aldermen/Board of Education

After a contentious primary on the Republican side, where seven of the ten endorsed Republican candidates prevailed over primary opponents, Republicans hoped to unite in the hope of making gains on the Board of Aldermen.

The current make-up of the fifteen-seat board is Democrats hold ten seats, Republicans hold three, an independent holds one, and an unaffiliated voter holds the last one.

In District 4, Republican incumbent George Noujaim and his running mate Paul Konas won their primary after not getting the Republican endorsement. Noujaim did not receive the endorsement of the Republican Town Committee because he was seen as “too cozy” with the Democratic majority. The 3rd challenger that will be on the ballot is Brian McEntree in the 5th district.

Though GOP chair of Waterbury, Dawn Maiorano, is hopeful to make gains on the boards, the issue is that Waterbury voters haven’t elected a Republican mayor or a Republican Board of Aldermen majority is the last 25 years. Republicans, though, see an opportunity since 4 Democratic incumbents on the Board of Aldermen, and 2 on the Board of Education, are not running again

In 2023, Democrats did the best in District 2 and District 5, winning by large margins. The margin in District 3 was smaller, but comfortable. Republicans did well in District 1 and District 4. The closest races will likely be in those two districts. 4 candidates are running in each district (Five in District 2), and the top 3 will win a seat on the board.

On the Board of Education, five seats are up for grabs. Six candidates are running: three Democrats and three Republicans. The top five of the six candidates will win a seat on the Board of Education.

Norwalk

Mayor

The marquee race on the ballot in Norwalk is the open-mayoral race being vacated by Democrat Harry Rilling, who is retiring. Democrat Barbara Smyth is facing off against Republican Vinny Scicchitano.

Common Council President Smyth won a tough Democratic primary against Common Council member Darlele Young by a mere 75-vote margin. She will also be on the Working Families ballot line.

Petitioning Candidates John Kydes and Erik Vitagilone will also be on the ballot. Kydes is a former council president.

At a recent debate with the four candidates, they shared their visions of the city’s future. Smyth noted how her experience in both the classroom (as a former teacher) and in city government gives her a unique perspective to understand the city’s needs. Scicchitano said he is there to represent the 40% of the community who feel like they are disenfranchised from the process. He said he was the most qualified to unify the community.

Vitaglione said he is there to represent the households that make less than $75,000 a year, the renters who are cost-burdened, and the residents who haven’t participated in city politics before. Kydes said he joined the race because he felt the city is going down the wrong path, and his experience is necessary.

They all cited affordability, education, and taxes among the city’s challenges. However, they had different approaches to some of the issues. On affordable housing, Vitaglione called for a more diverse array of “housing stock”. Kydes questioned how the new developments affect schools and affordability. Smyth proposed a housing consortium, Scicchitano said the city needs to define its goals before expanding any further.

Norwalk’s Democratic delegation endorsed Smyth for mayor, including State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff.

Though Norwalk is also very blue at the federal level, voting for Kamala Harris by a 64-35 margin. In the 2023 mayoral race, Rilling won a 55-45 victory over Scicchitano. Since Scicchitano is running a second time, he might benefit from name recognition among voters. Smyth is still favored, but the mix of petitioning candidates along with a strong challenge from Scicchitano could lead to a closer race than expected.

Ballot Questions and Other Offices

Norwalk has a long two-page ballot this year. There are several races, including City Sheriff, Councilmen-At Large, Councilman, Board of Education, Constable, Taxing District Commissioner, and Treasurer.

The one race without much anticipation is for Incumbent Town Clerk Richard McQuaid. McQuaid is on both the Democratic and Republican ballot lines after being cross-endorsed, so he will be victorious on election day.

For the Councillmen and Board of Education, there is a slate of Independent candidates running. Though this could make the margins between Democrats and Republicans more competitive, during the 2023 race, however, the Independent candidates only got about 1% of the vote, far behind the other two parties on the ballot.

A district-by-district guide can be found here from the Publication Nancy on Norwalk.

There are also three ballot questions this year. There seems to be a movement in some cities to move elections to 4-year terms instead of two. This passed in New Haven last year, and some other towns also have these questions on their ballots. Question 2 will create a four-year term for Mayor and Town Clerk in 2029, and the Council in 2031. Another change on Question 3 will amend the charter to provide council members with compensation of 3% of the mayor’s budgeted salary from 2029.

Question 1 on the Charter Change is longer and includes a couple of changes, so I will put the text here below.

Democrats are favored in most races in Norwalk, though it will be interesting to see how the petitioning candidates do in the mayoral race.

Thanks for Reading!