With some close voting margins including those for the governor’s race and District 12 Senate seat, the majority of Branford voters came out for Democrats to win in the state election on Nov. 6. Of 22,821 Branford voters registered as of Oct. 31, results registered with the Secretary of State show over 13,000 votes were cast in Branford, a turnout of at least 60 percent. Branford has seven voting districts; total votes by district results were not available as of press time.

In the Nov. 6 District 12 open seat race for State Senate won by Democrat Christine Cohen over GOP candidate Adam Greenberg, Cohen earned 52.6 percent of Branford’s vote with 7,482 cast in her favor; compared to nearly 47 percent, or 6,620 votes, for Greenberg (see “Democrat Christine Cohen Wins District 12 Senate Seat”). The win for Cohen retains the 12th as a Democratic seat following the decision of Sen. Ted Kennedy Jr. (D) not to run for re-election. District 12 represents the towns of Branford, North Branford, Guilford, Madison, Killingworth and Durham.

Branford voters will send Democrat Robin Comey to Hartford as the next 102nd District State Representative (see “Comey Wins 102nd District State Rep. Race”). Branford’s 6,097 votes for Comey (55 percent) bested 4,984 votes, or 45 percent, received by 102nd Republican candidate Robert Imperato. Comey will resume Branford’s General Assembly representation by a Democrat in Hartford, filling an open seat created due to Democratic State Rep. Lonnie Reed’s announcement that she would not seek a sixth term in the 2018 state race.

Running unopposed on Nov. 6, Democrat Sean Scanlon earned a third term representing the 98th District, which covers most of Guilford and as well Stony Creek and Pine Orchard areas of Branford. Scanlon was given 2,017 votes in the Branford districts he represents.

Also running unopposed, District 35 (Branford/North Branford) re-elected Judge of Probate Frank Forgione (R) who received 8,605 votes on Election Day. The electorate also voted in the town’s Registrar of Voters Dan Hally (D) with 7,214 votes and Marion Burkard (R) with 6,182 votes.

As part of a Democratic win statewide in major races, Branford voters gave Democrats the edge over Republican contenders in the gubernatorial race as well as U.S. congressional races and all other offices on the ballot on Nov. 6. By a slim margin, Branford gave 49.63 percent of its vote (7,062 votes) to Democratic governor-elect Ned Lamont and cast 47.45 percent of votes (6,752) for GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob Stefanwoski.

Branford Democratic voters contributed more comfortable margins to assist with statewide wins for other offices on the ballot, including giving 60.89 percent of all votes to help Democrat Chris Murphy retain his U.S. Senate seat over GOP candidate Matthew Corey, who earned 38.17 percent of Branford’s votes. Branford voters also helped long-serving Democratic U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro to retain her seat in the Nov. 6 election; giving her 60 percent of the vote over Republican candidate Angel Candena, who received 36.43 percent of Branford’s votes.

In other state office races, Branford voters backed the re-election of Democratic Secretary of State Denise Merrill, giving her over 56 percent of all votes; while residents put 42 percent of their votes in for GOP candidate Susan Chapman. Branford also voted for winning Democratic State Treasurer Shawn Wooden, who received 56 percent of votes town-wide, compared to 43.25 percent received by GOP candidate Thad Gray. Branford gave 56 percent of its votes to help re-elect Democratic State Comptroller Kevin Lembo over GOP candidate Kurt Miller, who received 42.6 percent of votes. Some 53 percent of Branford voters supported Democrat William Tong to help him win the office of Attorney General over GOP candidate Sue Hatfield, who received 46 percent of Branford’s votes.