On Election Day, North Branford voters shifted the make-up of the nine-member Town Council from a six-seat Republican majority to a five-person Democratic majority.

During what was reported by District Two Lead Moderator Lisa Fitch as "steady" poll turnout, 27 percent of the town's electorate, or 2,365 citizens, voted on Nov. 3. North Branford has 8,727 registered voters.

Long-serving Democratic incumbent Joseph Faughnan received 1402 votes, earning the title of Deputy Mayor. Newly-elected Republican Michael Doody received 1409 votes and won the title of Mayor (see http://www.zip06.com/news/20151106/doody-wins-nb-mayors-title )

Town Council's new Democratic majority includes Faughan and re-elected incumbents Marie Diamond and Dan Armin with new councilmen George Miller and Chris Manna. Late last week, the group waited out a recount triggered by Manna's win of the ninth council seat by just five more votes than Republican candidate Shawna Pappa-Holzer. A Nov. 7 recount upheld the initial five-vote spread, with 1161 votes in Manna's favor vs. 1156 for Pappa-Holzer (see http://www.zip06.com/news/20151107/recount-nb-dems-keep-council-majority )

On Nov. 3, voters seated four Republicans on the 2015-17 council, including Doody and re-elected incumbents Anthony Candelora, Rose Marie Angeloni and Al Rose. Between 2009 - 15, Candelora served as Mayor of three Town Councils, each with Republican majority.

"Our hope is not to be critical of our predecessors or the people who were not re-elected," Faughnan told Zip06. "Our hope is to improve upon what was done in the past and to be providers of government in this town that's open, transparent and responsive to what the people of the town need."

Speaking with Zip06 on Election Night, Faughnan said voters in this year's municipal elections made a statement.

"There is a clearly a statement in the voter turnout today, and how they voted," said Faughan. "I hope what it says is that the Democratic Party is the right Party for leadership in North Branford. I hope it's a vote of confidence for us, and quite candidly, I feel that we can deliver on that confidence. I think we are the Party of transparency and of hope for the future; the Party that will endeavor to give the best we possibly can, and preserve the town of North Branford with the lowest possible taxes."

Faughnan said challenges include facing more cutbacks in state funding while trying to preserve and enhance the tax base. He said the goal is to "...maintain our tax mill rate as low as possible for our taxpayers."

Democratic Town Party leader David Palumbo said he was pleased and impressed with voter turnout on Election Day, adding the resulting Town Council majority swing was "bittersweet."

"It's bittersweet," said Palumbo. "We want to see transparency for our community, and our predecessors have done a tremendous job with what's been given to us. We have a great community that can deliver unbelievable attributes here. We want to see the hope for tomorrow for us.  North Branford is really a quality town and that's because it's always been a good community. Republican or Democrat, we have a lot of tremendous volunteers. I commend all the Republicans and Democrats that come out every day and provide all those services for us."

Palumbo said the new Town Council has to balance the call for lower taxes with maintaining infrastructure needs.

"People are struggling. People want answers, people want to see taxes lowered," said Palumbo. "You have to run community as a business. You have a lot of emotions, because we have a lot of tremendous volunteers that show their passion every day; and that's what makes our town unique."