Why Local Elections Matter

WHY EVERYONE SHOULD VOTE IN A LOCAL ELECTION

Election Day is less than a week away, and it’s time to plan how you are going to vote. Too often, people skip their local elections, believing they are less important than national and state contests. Nothing could be further from the truth! Unlike state and national elections, local elections have much more impact on the quality of your daily life.

Here’s why everyone should make the effort to come out and vote on Tuesday, November 5th in Stamford’s city elections:

  • It’s all about YOU. No, really it is. The people you’re voting for this year –Board of Finance, Board of Education, 1 special election for Board of Representatives District 14 –are the ones that determine the quality of your neighborhood, schools, roads, where buildings will be built, how your water and land will be used or protected—and most importantly, how your taxes will be spent.
  • It’s about the future of Stamford. This year we are electing half of the Board of Finance and almost half of the Board of Education. Both Boards will have a large role in deciding how we are going to address the mold issues in our schools and even whether we continue to own our schools, or go to a privatization model for the buildings.  This is a chance for your vote to really shape the direction of both Boards.
  • It’s about access and accountability. The local candidates vying for these positions live in your area and are more interested in YOUR concerns than state and national politicians who must focus on bigger picture issues. Also, local elections are oftentimes decided by a handful of votes.

Your vote is your voice, don’t waste it by missing an election, make it a habit to vote every year—in every election.  If you need more information about the positions that are up for election, go to our website www.lwvstamford.org and check out our new series “What Is It and Why It Matters.” Our Voter’s Guide is available at www.stamfordelections.com where you can see how candidates responded to our questions and view election night reporting.

Kristine Goldhawk, Steering Committee Member, League of Women Voters of Stamford.

2019 Hispanic Health Fair

Volunteers were at the Hispanic Health Fair held at UCONN Stamford this past Saturday helping voters to register, learn more about municipal elections this November and the upcoming Census, and sign up for our Voter’s Guide. 

National Voter Registration Day 2019

On Tuesday, September 24, 2019, the League of Women Voters of Stamford participated in National Voter Registration Day. We registered 32 voters, signed up around 50 people to our Voters Guide email list, and answered hundreds of questions. Volunteers were at:

Stamford High School
Westhill High School
Academy for Information Technology and Engineering
Stamford Academy
JM Wright Technical High School
UCONN Stamford
Ferguson Library

Thank you to volunteer, Shira Tarantino, for the photos.

HarborFest 2019

We were excited to return to HarborFest this year. We spent the day helping new residents of Stamford change their voter registration, handed out copies of They Represent Us, and answering questions about this year’s upcoming municipal elections.

2019 LWV CT State Convention

The LWV of Stamford sent 4 representatives to the LWV CT State Convention. We voted to approve the state budget, changes to League positions on Public Access TV, and participated in workshops on advocacy, debate prep and grant writing. Find more information under Member Materials.

(L-R) Kris Goldhawk, Kieran Edmondson, Lewis Finkel, Laurie Chase Finkel

Unofficial Stamford Election Results

Here are the unofficial Stamford Elections Results.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who were at the polls for Election Night reporting.

* indicates a candidate responded to our Voters Guide

There are now 70,449 registered voters in Stamford. 44,199 voted in the midterm elections for a 63% voter turn out.

US Senate

DemocratChristopher S Murphy29,253
Working FamiliesChristopher S Murphy700
Total for Murphy29,953Winner
RepublicanMatthew Corey12,651
LibertarianRichard L Lion283
GreenJeff Russell165
Write InFred Linck4
Write InKristi L Talmadge0

US House

DemocratJim Himes*28,339Winner
RepublicanHarry Arora*13,003
IndependentHarry Arora*578
Total for Arora13,581
Write InYusheng Peng0

Governor

DemocratNed Lamont & Susan Bysiewicz*27,048
Working FamiliesNed Lamont & Susan Bysiewicz*399
Total for Lamont/Bysiewicz27,447Winner
RepublicanBob Stefanowski & Joe Markley*14,913
IndependentBob Stefanowski & Joe Markley*565
Total for Stefanowski/Markley15,478
LibertarianRodney Hanscomb & Jeffrey Thibeault174
Amigo Constitution Liberty Mark Stewart Greenstein & John Demitrus36
Griebel Frank for CTOz Griebel & Monte E Frank390
Write-InLee Whitnum & Jacey Wyatt0

Secretary of the State

DemocratDenise W Merrill*27,177
Working FamiliesDenise W Merrill*431
Total for Merrill27,608Winner
RepublicanSusan Chapman13,512
IndependentSusan Chapman613
Total for Chapman14,125
LibertarianHeather Lynn Sylvestre Gwynn252
GreenS Michael DeRosa*390

Treasurer

DemocratShawn Wooden26,446
Working FamiliesShawn Wooden1,007
Total for Wooden27,453Winner
RepublicanThad Gray14,003
IndependentThad Gray651
Total for Gray14, 654
LibertarianJesse Brohinsky337
Write InW Michael Downes0

Comptroller

DemocratKevin Lembo*26,368
Working FamiliesKevin Lembo*551
Total for Lembo26,919Winner
RepublicanKurt Miller13,498
IndependentKurt Miller643
Total for Miller14,141
LibertarianPaul Passarelli395
GreenEdward G Heflin293

Attorney General

DemocratWilliam Tong*27,824
Working FamiliesWilliam Tong*674
Total for Tong28,498Winner
RepublicanSue Hatfield*12,983
IndependentSue Hatfield*648
Total for Hatfield13,631
GreenPeter D Goselin302

State Senate District 27

DemocratCarlo Leone*20,915Winner
RepublicanJerry Bosak*9,335
IndependentJerry Bosak*491
Total for Bosak9,826
GreenCora M Santaguida373

State Senate District 36

DemocratAlex Bergstein*6,968Winner
RepublicanL Scott Frantz*4,500
IndependentL Scott Frantz*150
Total for Frantz4,650
GreenMegan E Cassano72

State Representative 144

DemocratCaroline Simmons*7,242Winner

State Representative 145

DemocratPatricia Billie Miller4,580Winner
RepublicanFritz Blau965

State Representative 146

DemocratDavid Michel*5,913Winner
RepublicanDan Pannone2,257

State Representative 147

DemocratMatt Blumenthal*5,397Winner
RepublicanAnzelmo Graziosi*3,369
IndependentAnzelmo Graziosi*152
Total for Graziosi3,519

State Representative 148

DemocratDaniel J Fox*5,013Winner
RepublicanPhilip Balestriere*1,604

State Representative 149

RepublicanLivvy Floren*2,297Winner

Judge of Probate District 53

DemocratGerald Fox III31,822Winner

Board of Education

DemocratDavid Mannis*25,778
DemocratJon Carlo Gallup23,378
DemocratJacki Pioli*27,904Winner
GreenMichael Schmidt3,499
Petitioning CandidateMike Altamura5,842Winner
Petitioning CandidateFrank Cerasoli*4,165Winner

Reminder that only 1 Democrat could win due to minority party representation rules. See our FAQs page for more information.

Rose Community Partnership

During the month of October, the LWV of Stamford worked with the Rose Company properties, Shippan Place and Metro Green Terrace and Residential, to engage residents in the upcoming election. Through a generous grant by the Rose Company and League of Women Voters US Educational Fund, the LWV of Stamford conducted 3 voter registration drives, and assisted with the organization of a Candidate Forum at Shippan Place.

At each event, volunteers of the LWV of Stamford helped around 40 residents register in CT for the first time, submit change of address forms, and/or request absentee ballots. We also educated over 100 residents on voter id requirements, accommodations for voters with disabilities, polling location, what positions are up for election and where to find our voters guide.

Thank you to all residents who came out and met with us! We’ll be back in the new year with forums at all locations for residents to meet and talk with their local representatives.