Winners Revealed In Stamford's 4 Democratic Primaries

STAMFORD, CT — Stamford residents hit the polls on Tuesday to vote in four Democratic primaries for Board of Representatives seats.

Recounts will be needed in Districts 7 and 18, the Stamford Advocate reported.

Since the municipal election in 2021, four Democrats — Bianca Shinn (District 7), Kindrea Walston (District 9), Carl Weinberg (District 20), and Dakary Watkins (District 5) — and one Republican, Stephen Garst (District 18), were appointed to the Board of Reps. to replace members of the same party who had resigned.

There are 20 districts in Stamford, and each district elects two representatives every four years, concurrent with the mayor's term.

But the appointees must win in the Nov. 7 election to remain on the board until the next municipal election in 2025.

In July, Stamford Democrats and Republicans endorsed the appointees for November. Challengers then received the required number of signatures to force a primary election.

Since no candidate was endorsed in District 18, two Democrats, Karen Camporeale and Jennienne Burke, faced off against each other in a primary to get on the November ballot against Garst.

District 7

According to unofficial results from the Stamford Registrar of Voters, Strain edged Shinn, 156 votes to 149.

Strain is a medical assistant with no previous experience in Stamford government, the Stamford Advocate reported.

Shinn has been a member of the Board of Reps. since March. She was appointed to replace Monica Di Costanzo who became the deputy Democratic registrar of voters in Stamford.

District 9

Walston, who replaced Rodney Pratt in April 2022 and was endorsed earlier this summer, defeated petitioned candidate Walter Mardis, 154 votes to 106.

Walston is a member of the BOR's State and Commerce and Housing, Community Development, and Social Services Committees.

She is also a member of the Democratic City Committee.

District 18

Camporeale narrowly pulled ahead of Jennienne Burke 217 to 215 in District 18. Burke is a former member of the Stamford Board of Education.

Camporeale, a member of the Stamford Democratic City Committee, will go on the Nov. 7 ballot to face Garst, who was appointed to the Board of Reps. in August 2022.

District 20

In District 20, endorsed candidate Carl Weinberg totaled 338 votes to challenger Clemon Williams's 230 votes. Williams is a former director of human services in Stamford.

Weinberg, a former member of the Stamford Personnel Commission, and a 33-year resident of District 20, replaced the late Susan Nabel in April of this year after she resigned.

Watkins did not face a primary challenger.

This article has been corrected to reflect the correct districts for Carl Weinberg, Dakary Watson and Stephen Garst.