This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
11/08/2023 01:20 PMRunning unopposed on Nov. 7, Branford Republican First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove earned a sixth consecutive term. However, in a major shift, based on preliminary voting results from Nov. 7, Democrats took a majority of the 30 seats on the Representative Town Meeting (RTM). The change would undo the previous Republican RTM majority streak of 5 consecutive terms, or 10 years, from 2013 to 2023.
A recount was set for Saturday, Nov. 11, to determine final results for the two-year term for Board of Education and for final results among candidates vying for RTM seats in districts 1, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Recount results, when available, will be updated in this story.
The following results are based on unofficial election night voting numbers provided by the Secretary of State as Nov. 8, based on 100% of Branford’s voting precincts reporting following the close of polls on Nov. 7.
In his unopposed bid for First Selectman, Cosgrove received 4,701 votes. To complete the 2023-2025 three-person Board of Selectmen, voters moved unopposed incumbent Democratic selectman candidate Ray Dunbar into the post of Second Selectman for the first time, with 3,383 votes. Unopposed Republican incumbent selectwoman Angela Higgins received 3,299 votes.
Democrat Kurt Schwanfelder won his bid for Town Treasurer with 3,441 votes over GOP incumbent Deborah Conklin, who received 3,348 votes.
GOP incumbent Town Clerk Lisa Arpin, running unopposed, received 4,543 votes.
In the BOE race for three full-term (six-year) seats, preliminary results selected Democrat Shawn Tiernan (3,672 votes), Democrat Judith Barron (3,551 votes) and Republican Adam Greenberg (3,172 votes). A fourth candidate in the running, Kevin Reiss (R), received 2,934 votes.
In the BOE race to fill one two-year vacancy, Democratic candidate Ram C. Shrestha earned 3,354 votes over Republican contender Laura Kiernan Troidle, who received 3,349 votes.
Unofficial election night results posted by the Secretary of State on Nov. 8 show the top 30 candidates elected to Branford’s 2023-2025 Representative Town Meeting (RTM), by district, as:
District 1, which has six representative seats, logged the six highest preliminary voting totals for Lindsay Marottoli Greenberg (R) 636 votes; Frank Twohill (R) 635 votes; Shannen Sharkey (R) 602 votes; Judith Barron (D) 578 votes, Kevin Coughlin (D) 546 votes; Alisa Waterman (D) 542 votes.
A total of eight candidates ran for District 1. Results for the two other District 1 candidates in the race showed Tricia Anderson (R) 536 votes; and Mark McCall(D) 519 votes.
District 2, which has three representative seats, logged the three highest preliminary voting totals for Joshua Brooks (D) 465 votes, Peter Hentschel (D) 442 votes, Chris Hynes (R) 335 votes.
A total of four candidates ran for District 2. Results showed additional candidate Stephen Chamberlain(R) received 309 votes.
District 3, which has three representative seats, logged the three highest preliminary voting totals for Tom Keefe (D) 479 votes, Adrian Bonenberger, (D) 476 votes, Peter Black (R) 261 votes.
A total of four candidates ran for District 3. Results showed additional candidate Ralph Murray (R) received 235 votes.
District 4, which has five representative seats, logged the five highest preliminary voting totals for Ram C. Shrestha (D) 597 votes, Dan Adelman (D) 531 votes, Maryann Amore (D) 531 votes; Shahida Soomro (D) 508 votes, Victoria Verderame (R) 503 votes.
A total of eight candidates ran for District 4. Results for the three other District 4 candidates in the race showed Chiran Neupane (R)498 votes, Teryl Imperato (R) 480 votes; and Karen Hesse (R) 465 votes.
District 5, which has five representatives seats, logged the five highest preliminary voting totals for Ray Ingraham (R) 632 votes, Tracy Everson (D) 629 votes, John Hartwell (D) 608 votes, Alex Larson (D) 603 votes, Abigail Adams (D) 601 votes.
A total of eight candidates ran for District 5. Results for the three other District 5 candidates in the race showed Dennis T. Flanigan (R) 596 votes, Carolyn Sires (R) 590 votes, Kyle M. Nelson (R) 574 votes.
District 6, which has five representatives seats, logged the five highest preliminary voting totals for Anthony Alfone (R) 475 votes, Gino Popolizio (R) 453 votes, Nancy McCormack (D) 436 votes, Joseph Loffredo (R) 435 votes, Chris Sullivan (D) 427.
A total of six candidates ran for District 6. Results showed additional candidate Chad Edgar (D) received 379 votes.
District 7, which has three representative seats, logged the three highest preliminary voting totals for Susan Dahill (D) 411 votes, Barbara Maresca (R) 394 votes, Donna Laich (D) 391.
A total of four candidates ran for District 7. Results showed additional candidate Kevin Healy (R) received 389 votes.