Politics & Government
Fairfield Voters on Election Night: Live Chat Replay
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[Editor's Note: An interactive live blog for Fairfield Patch readers interested in today's election will appear in this story at 6 p.m. Please join the conversation with fellow readers in your town, right here on Patch. Email Patch Regional Editor Michael Dinan, at michaeld@patch.com if you have any questions.]
Update 7 p.m.
As of 6 p.m., the districts reported a total of 10,588 voters voted in person today, or just about 30 percent of register voters in Fairfield.
Find out what's happening in Fairfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
This is about 420 more votes than the last total of votes (including absentee ballots) for the local elections in 2009, when the Board of Finance race was the lead ticket, according to the Registrars' Office.
The last First Selectman/Board of Selectmen race raked in 14,362 votes, or roughly a 43 percent total turnout, according to the Registrars' Office.
Find out what's happening in Fairfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Update 5 p.m.
The Registrars’ Office reported that as of 4:20 p.m., 8,461 votes had been cast -- a 23.97 percent voter turnout thus far.
Over in District 4 at Osborn Hill Elementary School, candidates from all parties greeted voters and even displayed some friendly bipartisanship.
“All the candidates have been congenial,” said Republican RTM candidate Joe DeMartino. “It’s something I haven’t seen much of before.”
Fellow RTM candidates Heather Dean and Doug Jones (Democratic) and Joe Palmer (Republican) all agreed that voters seemed to be “happier” this time around, compared to the 2009 municipal elections.
Dean said she found voters she talked to “very agreeable.” Palmer said “everyone’s been having good conversations out here about the town.”
DeMartino also said he felt voters seemed “generally upbeat” today, but added he feels this election could go “absolutely any way.”
“I don’t have any sense one way or the other,” DeMartino said of the potential results. But he added that conversations have been positive, and voters talked to him about their concerns about the Metro Center and increased taxes.
DeMartino said one of the recurring themes he found when speaking to voters today is “the new RTM will have their work cut out for them.”
Across the parking lot, Independent RTM candidate John Panigutti said he was concerned because “turnout seemed to be sparse” this year -- at least in District 4.
He was pleased with the caliber of his fellow candidates. “Hopefully we’ll get a good cadre” in the RTM to help with the town’s financial crises, which are “severe,” he said.
Update, 12:45 p.m.
As of 12 p.m. 5,205 votes had been cast for the 2011 municipal elections, according to the Office of the Registrar. That's 14.75 percent of Fairfield's approximately 35,200 registered voters.
One of those voters, District 10 resident Phil Cunningham, said it is important to vote in local elections "because they affect you personally."
Democratic First Selectman candidate Michael Tetreau, who greeted District 10 voters as they made their way into Sherman Elementary School, said he heard turnout remained "steady."
"Everything's been running smoothly," he said. Tetreau added one of the things he enjoys most about campaigning is reconnecting with people he hasn't seen in a while -- like Kenneth Lee, who is running for a seat on the RTM and also greeted voters outside of Sherman School.
Bridget Bellitto, daughter of Republican First Selectman candidate Rob Bellitto, said greeting voters has been going well -- "everybody's been nice," she said outside of Sherman School.
Her boyfriend, Ryan Douglas, said they were very pleased with the turnout thus far.
Update, Nov. 8: 5:45 a.m.
The day has come; Election Day is here.
You know where to vote -- do you know who's running in each of the races?
Here is your guide to each race in town.
Non-RTM Races
Race Candidates Party Affiliation Term First Selectman Rob Bellitto Jr. Republican Four Years Hugh Dolan Independent Four Years Michael Tetreau Democratic Four Years Selectman Cristin McCarthy Vahey Democratic Four Years Deanna Polizzo Independent Four Years James Walsh Republican Four Years Town Clerk Betsy Browne Republican Four Years Board of Finance Christopher DeWitt Republican Six Years Thomas Flynn Republican Six Years Elaine Gaffney Democratic Six Years Laura Incerto Independent Six Years Patrick McCabe Democratic Six Years Board of Education John Convertito Republican Six Years Hugh Joseph Donnelly Independent Six Years Philip Dwyer Democratic Six Years Paul Fattibene Republican Six Years Neal Fink Democratic Six Years Jessica Gerber Democratic Six Years Jennifer Maxon Kennelly Democratic/Working Families Six Years Amanda Parks Independent Six Years Stacey Zahn Democratic Six Years Board of Assessment Appeals David D'Ausilio Republican Four Years Laura Devlin Republican Fill 2-year vacancy Timothy Sheehan Democratic Fill 2-year vacancy Stephen Tower Democratic Four Years Planning and Zoning Commission Bryan LeClerc Republican Four Years Patricia Jacobson Democratic Four Years Sally Parker Democratic Four Years Anita Rappaport Democratic Two Years Douglas Soutar Republican Two Years Matthew Wagner Republican Four Years P&Z Commission Alternates Gerald Alessi Republican Fill 2-year vacancy Marc Andre Democratic Fill 2-year vacancy Zoning Board of Appeals Samuel Boyarsky Democratic Two Years Don Cafero Republican Four Years Edward Cheffetz Democratic Four Years Kevin Coyne Republican Two Years James Hamilton Republican Four Years Duncan Keith Sr. Democratic Four Years ZBA Alternates Daphne Dixon Green Fill 2-year vacancy Megan Hannum Democratic Fill 2-year vacancy Margaret McKay Republican Fill 2-year vacancy Constable Ed Bateson Republican Two Years Daniel Jay Delvent Green Two Years Mark Dunlevy Republican Two Years Joseph Gall Democratic Two Years David Peck Democratic Two Years Joe Peddle Republican Two Years Frank Rowe Republican Two Years Eugene Short Democratic Two Years Ruth Smey Democratic Two Years
RTM District Races: All Two-Year Terms; Five to Be Elected from Each District
District Candidate Party Affiliation District 1 David Becker RepublicanMary Cody Democratic
Michael Herley Republican
Kevin Lennon Democratic
Gaylor Meyer Republican
David Peck Democratic
Carolyn Richmond Republican
Linda Snelham-Moore Democratic
Eric Sundman Republican
Harold Zawadski Democratic District 2 Peter Ambrose Republican
Withrop Baum Republican
Jack Bloom Democratic
David Lee Collins Democratic
Jason Gladstone Democratic
William Hanford Independent
Anthony Kicska Independent
John Mitola Democratic
Frank Rizzetta Independent
Jeffrey Steele Republican
Chad Stewart Republican
Joe Taccogna Democratic
Keith Varian Republican District 3 Edward J. Bateson, III Republican
Thomas Conley Republican
John David Democratic
Francis "Hank" Ference Republican
Mary Hogue Democratic
Neil Lippman Democratic
David MacKenzie Republican
Mary McCullough Republican
Coralee Reiss Democratic
Bill Sapone Republican District 4 Andrew Baumgarder Democratic
Heather Dean Democratic
Joseph DeMartino Republican
Arthur Hug Republican
Douglas Jones Democratic
Alan Menillo Democratic
Amy Mezoff Republican
Joseph Palmer Republican
John Panigutti Independent
John Shaffer Republican
Alan G. Smith Democratic District 5 Len Benton Republican
Tim D'Elia Republican
Roger Dow Republican
Joseph Gall Democratic
Josh Garskoff Democratic
Evaristo Lobato Republican
Chris McAleese Democratic
Ruth Smey Democratic
Ann Stamler Democratic
Robert Willis Republican District 6 Jim Baldwin Republican
Christopher Brogan Democratic
Leonora Campbell Democratic
Christopher Ellis Republican
Julie Gottlieb Democratic
Bill Harke Republican
William Malchisky Jr. Republican
Sheila Marmion Democratic
Wyatt Whiteman Independent
Jay Wolk Democratic District 7 Adam Breiner Republican
Anthony Calabrese Republican
Jennifer Hochberg Democratic/Working Families
Kevin Hoffkins Democratic
Bill Llewellyn Republican
Eric Newman Democratic
Frank O'Reilly Republican
Marc Patten Democratic
Harold Schwartz Democratic District 8 Kathryn Braun Republican
Mitch Fuchs Democratic
Robert Greenberger Democratic/Working Families
Dana Kery Republican
Jason Li Republican
Allen Marks Democratic
Thomas McCarthy Republican
Jeffrey Melaragno Republican
Jeffrey Stopa Democratic
Lisa Winjum Democratic District 9 Gregory Alpin Democratic
William Burke Democratic
Susan Bernstein Democratic
Bill Domeika Republican
Joe Felner Republican
Kathleen Griffin Democratic
Ellen Jacob Republican
Nick Mirabile Republican
Carol Pontrelli Republican
Mary Saunders Democratic District 10 Charles Abercrombie Democratic
Brian Farnen Republican
Leigh Hannum Democratic
Kenneth Lee Democratic
Michael Mears Republican
John Passios Republican
Bruce Ryan Republican
Trygve Sandberg Democratic
Carol Way Republican
David Weber Democratic
Original Story - Nov. 7
The months of campaigning are over; the last debate argued. is tomorrow -- do you know where to vote?
Below is a list of polling places in town, accompanied by an interactive map to show you exactly where to go.
If you are unsure of which district you reside in, see the Registrar of Voters street guide to determine your polling place.
Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- District 1: - 100 Mona Terrace
- District 2: St. Pius X School - 824 Brookside Drive
- District 3: - 1600 Redding Road
- District 4: - 760 Stillson Road
- District 5: - 60 Thompson Street
- District 6: - 755 Melville Ave
- District 7: - 190 Putting Green Road
- District 8: - 200 Meadowcroft Road
- District 9: - 785 Unquowa Road
- District 10: - 250 Fern Street
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