HARTFORD, Conn.—Republican officials are claiming victory in Tuesday's municipal elections in Connecticut, picking up seats in Stamford and Norwich while holding onto some in Democratic-heavy towns.
"To say we are overwhelmed and humbled by this result across the state is an understatement," State Republican Chairman Chris Healy told The Associated Press, relying on results the party collected. Official returns were not available Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, Democratic Mayor April Capone Almon secured a second term by defeating her Republican challenger John Finkle. Almon had come under fire after being arrested by her own town's police department in July for allegedly interfering with a police officer who was ticketing cars at a local beach.
She later became the subject of an ethics complaint, questioned about a pay raise she provided a secretary. Democrats have called the complaint a political stunt.
Almon said she's "humbled that the people of East Haven came out to show support."
Finkle said he met his goal of getting 4,000 votes and thought that would be enough to unseat Almon. "We met our goal," he told WTIC-TV. "But unfortunately it was short."
Nancy DiNardo, the state Democratic chairwoman, said she's still looking over the evening's elections results but said she's not surprised there are some Democratic losses.
"Obviously, I do believe that municipal campaigns, municipal elections, are usually around local issues," she said. "With the economy so bad, people are looking for change it's a democracy."
Norwich elected a Republican, Peter Nystrom, who won 47 percent of the vote in a four-way race. The former state representative succeeds Democrat Ben Lathrop, who did not seek re-election.
In Newington, Republican Jeffrey Wright was in a close race to win another term as mayor, leading Democrat Thomas Bowen by about 200 votes with six of eight precincts reporting.
Healy said Republicans held on to seats in Democratic-heavy Middletown and New Britain, while picking up Stratford, Darien and Monroe.
Stamford voters apparently replaced longtime Democratic Mayor Dannel Malloy with Republican Michael Pavia. David Martin, the Democratic candidate and president of the Board of Representatives, conceded the race just before 9:20 p.m. Tuesday.
Malloy, who is a possible gubernatorial candidate, did not seek re-election.
New Haven Mayor John DeStefano, a Democrat, won his ninth term by defeating several independent candidates.
Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz said she expects voter turnout will be mixed, depending on the individual locality.
Of the 162 towns holding elections Tuesday, 131 have contests for mayor or first selectman. Of those, 22 are uncontested.
Bysiewicz has said she hopes statewide voter turnout will be about 50 percent. In the last local election, in 2007, 40 percent of registered voters cast ballots in local races. That's compared to an impressive 80.5 percent turnout in last year's presidential election.
"Things are going very, very smoothly around the state," Bysiewicz said just before polls closed at 8 p.m.
While there's no contested race for first selectman in Wilton, voter turnout was still expected to surpass 30 percent. Tina Gardner, the Republican registrar of voters, said the two referendum items on the ballot -- a proposed revision to the town charter and a proposal to finally allow liquor stores in the town -- appear to be bringing out the voters.
More than 1,200 registered voters signed a petition this summer asking that the question of allowing the sale of liquor at outlets with package store permits be placed on the municipal election ballot.
In 1992, residents repealed the town's prohibition laws to allow restaurants to sell alcohol in Wilton.
"We've always called ourselves a damp town," said Carole Young-Kleinfield, the town's Democratic registrar.
State law places limits on the number of liquor stores in a town, based on population. In the case of Wilton, no more than seven stores would be allowed.
