nothin New Haven Independent | Get Ready To Vote Tuesday

Get Ready To Vote Tuesday

In what is expected to be a race that might hold a wild card or two, voters go to the polls tomorrow to decide if Republican Jamie Cosgrove gets another term as first selectman or if Democrat Mark Rabinowitz or Independent Jacey Wyatt will move into the corner office at Town Hall.

This is the second election in a row with three candidates competing for the first selectman’s office. Overall, the campaigns have been low-keyed; some residents told the Eagle Saturday they didn’t think there was an election until next year. (That’s 2016, the year of the presidential election.) Overall, the Dems outspent the Republicans by a 2 – 1 margin.

Voters will also elect two selectmen who will serve with the first selectman or selectwoman on the three-member Board of Selectmen, the town’s governing body. You can watch the results live on BCTV.

For the past two years, Cosgrove has served as first selectman, Joe Higgins Jr., a Republican as selectman; and Bruce Storm, a Democrat as selectman. Cosgrove is running with Higgins again; and Rabinowitz, a retired school principal, is running with Jack Ahern, the town’s retired Fire Chief. Wyatt is making her second run on her Independent ticket.

Board of Selectmen: Anybody’s Guess 

Although there are two candidates for the two selectmen seats on the three-member board of selectmen, there are actually four possibilities in this year’s election.

According to state statutes, unsuccessful candidates for first selectman may take a seat on the board of selectmen if they have more votes than the actual candidates for selectman.

Typically the first and second selectmen are members of the same party, but there is no state or local statute stipulating that scenario. The second and third selectmen seats go to whichever candidates have the second and third highest number of votes of all the candidates running for first selectman and selectman.

So conjure up a scenario and you may be right. It may turn out that the Board of Selectmen will not be controlled by the first selectman’s party or that the three BOS members will come from three different affiliations. 

There are a variety of possibilities to the board’s political make-up, since there are two Republican candidates, two Democrat candidates and one Independent.

Campaign Fund Raising

Over the course of the campaigns, each party held gatherings to raise funds. According to state filings, the Dems raised more funds by a 2‑to‑1 margin for Rabinowitz and Ahern than did the Republicans for Cosgrove and Higgins.

The filing shows that for a three month period beginning July and ending in September, the Republicans raised $14,383 while the Dems raised $26,495.

And for the most recent period, essentially one month in October, the Republicans raised $7,295 while the Dems raised $15,791 over the same time frame. These figures reflect funds reported for both the political party and for the candidates. The final figures for the 2015 municipal election become public after the next reporting cycle, which is after the election.

Election Day Registration is On

This Election Day marks the third year that Connecticut voters may register on Election Day to vote even if you have not registered before. If you are a U.S. citizen who lives in Branford or just moved here and if you are 18 years old or older, you may go to the basement conference room in Town Hall (use the side door elevator) and register to vote.

You will need identification. The hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. It is best to arrive at least a half hour before closing. If you are cleared and registered you will vote at Town Hall.

Besides first selectman, the town’s top leadership job, voters will also select 30 members of the Representative Town Meeting (RTM); and four members of the Board of Education — three for six-year terms, and one for a two-year term. They will also vote for a new town clerk and for the tax collector (who is cross-endorsed) along with other town positions. Click here for a story on the BOE candidates.

The Candidates

Whoever wins the three seats on the Board of Selectmen will face a number of proposed projects. Costco has not yet been decided, Atlantic Wharf is in final site plan stage, and both the Senior Center and Walsh Intermediate School are in the very early stages. 

Incumbent Republican James Cosgrove, 42, has served two years as first selectman, and previously served two years as third selectman. He was also a former member of the RTM. He is a grandson of Dan Cosgrove, who was a former powerhouse in the Democratic and Taxpayer Parties and was known as the Boss of Bosses in his hometown. Click here to read the story. 

Cosgrove, a Branford native, graduated from the University of New Haven with a degree in finance, and worked more than 20 years in the family business, Cosgrove Construction.

Democratic candidate Mark Rabinowitz, 63, is making his first bid for public office. He retired after 36 years in education, having served as a school psychologist in the Branford Public Schools; and as principal at Sliney Elementary School for seven years, and principal at Mary Tisko Elementary School for 20 years.

Rabinowitz has a Bachelor’s Degree from Queens College, and advanced degrees in education, school psychology, and administration.

Independent candidate Jacey Wyatt is making her second bid to serve as the town’s top administrator. Wyatt, 44, is a business woman and a former model. She earned bachelor degrees in interior design, architecture and landscape architecture in 1995 from New York Institute of Technology.

Wyatt is also running on the Independent ticket for the Board of Education and the RTM. She is a member of the Parks and Open Space Authority.

The three candidates for first selectman met in a recent debate sponsored by the Shoreline Chamber of Commerce. Click here to read about that. There was an earlier debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the East Shore which Cosgrove decided not to attend. Click here to read about that.

Candidates for Selectman

The two selectman candidates both have long careers in the fire service, one in Branford, the other in New York City.

Incumbent Republican Joe Higgins, 70, retired from the New York City Fire Department in 2006 and later moved to Branford. He began his career in 1967, serving as a fire alarm dispatcher, deputy director of fire communications, and as fire commissioner liaison in the Big Apple. Click here to read about the Republican caucus in July.

Democratic candidate Jack Ahern, 55, retired last December as chief of the Branford Fire Department. He served 35 years with the department, including 12 as chief. Ahern currently serves as Branford’s Assistant Emergency Management Director, and works as a manager at a private communications company. Click here to read about the Democratic caucus.

Other Town Offices

Besides the candidates for first selectmen and selectmen, as outlined above, other candidates are running for a variety of offices on Nov. 3.

Town Clerk: Pam Knapp, a businesswoman, is running on the Democratic line and incumbent Lisa E. Arpin is running on the Republican line.

Treasurer: Maggie Bruno, a former RTM member for ten years is running on the Democratic line; and incumbent Michael T. Nardella, also a prior RTM member, is running on the Republican line.

Tax Collector: Incumbent Joanne P. Cleary has been cross-endorsed by both the Democrats and Republicans. She was also cross-endorsed in 2013.

Board of Assessment Appeals: Judith Freed, Democrat; Jason Driscoll, Republican. Driscoll decided not to run again for the RTM.

Constables (may vote for 4; 7 will be elected — all are incumbents): Eunice Y. Lasala, Francis Walsh and Rhoda Loeb, Democratic candidates; Robert J. Zettergren, Nancy G. Gaylord, Dennis G. Nardella, and Kyle Nelson, Republican candidates.

The nine-member Board of Education will have four new members after the election. For the 6‑year terms, voters may vote for two candidates, and a total of three candidates will be elected. Those seeking six year terms are incumbent Mario Sabatini, Betsy Regan, Democratic candidates; Maria Ehrhardt, incumbent Joanne Borrus‑O’Neill; Republican candidates; Jacey Wyatt, Independent.

For the Board of Education’s 2‑year term: incumbent Ellen Michaels, Democratic candidate; Shannen L. Sharkey, Republican.

Representative Town Meeting

All 30 seats on the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) are up for election every two years. The RTM is the town’s legislative body. During the 2013 election, the Republicans won a majority of seats — 19 to 11. This was a reversal from previous elections when the Democratic majority held those numbers. The Dems are hoping that this election will restore their majority.

A total of 21 Republicans are running this year from the seven election districts, with the majority of candidates being incumbents. Four Republicans are not incumbents — Clifford A. Merin in the 2nd District; Sean M. Kelly in the 3rd District; and Nickolas DeLucia, and Louis A. DeSerio both in the 4th District.

There are 20 Democrats running for the RTM, including nine incumbents. The other 11 running for office include: Virginia Stanlake and Kirsten Dooley in the 1st District; Maryann Amore, Dorothy Docknevich and Gauri Sharma in the 4th District; Yve Larrieu, Mary Jo Riddle, and Susan Solomon in the 5th District; Brian Levy, and Marcia Wellman in the 6th District; and Lynda Mollow in the 7th District.

THE RTM Candidates By District

RTM 1st District (may vote for 4 candidates, 6 will be elected): incumbent Clare Torelli, Virginia Stanlake, Kirsten Dooley, Democrats; four incumbents — George David Wells, Frank Twohill, Vincent Baglio, and Jennifer Zambrano, Republicans; Jacey Wyatt and Lucille Pascarella, Independent.

RTM 2nd District (may vote for 2 candidates, 3 will be elected): Two incumbents — Joshua Brooks and Peter Hentschel, Democrats; Clifford A. Merin and incumbent James Walker, Republicans.

RTM 3rd District (may vote for 2; 3 will be elected) Two incumbents — Doug Hanlon, Ali Abulugma, Democrats; incumbent Peter Black, Sean M. Kelly, Republicans.

RTM 4th District (may vote for 4: 6 will be elected): Maryann Amore, Dorothy A. Docknevich, incumbent Adam Hansen, Gauri Sharma, Democrats; Nickolas De Lucia, incumbent Robert Imperato, incumbent James B. Stepanek, Louis A. DeSerio, Republicans.

RTM 5th District (may vote for 4: 5 will be elected); Yve Larrieu, Mary Jo Riddle, Susan Solomon, incumbent Maryanne Hall, Democrats; four incumbents — Dennis Flanigan, who is currently the RTM’s moderator, John Leonard, Ray Ingraham, who is the chair of the Republican Town Committee, and Don Conklin, Republicans.

RTM 6th District (may vote for 3; 4 will be elected): Brian Levy, incumbent Chris Sully” Sullivan, who is the chair of the Democratic Town Committee, and Marcia Wellman, Democrats; three incumbents — Ed Prete, Anthony Alfone, and Marc Riccio, Republicans.

RTM 7th District (may vote for 2; 3 will be elected) Lynda Mollow and incumbent Paula Gladdys, Democrats; two incumbents — Robin Sandler and Tricia Anderson, Republicans.

Here is a street list to help you find your voting place.

Last Weekend Before Election

Over the weekend, some of the candidates went door-to-door seeking votes. Rabinowitz and Knapp canvassed the 5th election district. We checked in at Republican headquarters which this year is located in the Indian Neck section of town. Two workers were on the phone asking voters if they planned to vote for Cosgrove or Rabinowitz or Wyatt. Candidates for RTM from both parties went door-to-door in several districts.

Marcia Chambers PHoto

On Sunday, the Dems held a gathering at the Owenego Inn to honor Rhoda Loeb, an influential public advocate and longtime Democratic supporter. An attorney, (Yale Law School, class of 1944,) Loeb served on the town’s Economic Development Commission and played a key role in the growth of Branford Cable Television. Loeb’s father, Meyer Leshine, began the weekly Branford Review in 1927.

Absentee Ballots

Many in town have filed absentee ballots, knowing they will be out of town on Election Day.

Absentee ballots are available today. You can complete one by filling one out at the Town Clerk’s office at Town Hall by 4:30 p.m. today. Or you can hand deliver your absentee ballot by today. The office is open until 4:30 p.m. All absentee ballots must reach the Town Clerk’s Office before polls close at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

Voter Population

This year the total number of registered voters over the seven districts came in at 17,786 as of Thursday, down from 18,135 in the 2013 municipal election. This number will undoubtedly grow by Election Day. 

The unaffiliated or independent voters typically constitute the largest bloc of voters in Branford. As of Thursday there were 8,968 unaffiliated voters, 5,872 Democrats and 2,861 Republicans. There are 85 additional voters affiliated with other parties as of last Thursday.

Put another way, the unaffiliated voters, which Wyatt says she is wooing, (as are Cosgrove and Rabinowitz) make up the largest percentage of the vote. The winning candidate must convince the unaffiliated voter that he or she is their leader.

Branford has seven voting districts. (See map above.) When you arrive at your polling address, remember to bring your ID, for example, a driver’s license. If you do not have a driver’s license, you may use a bank statement or utility bill as long as it is mailed to your local Branford address.

District Polling Places

There is one major change in voting district this year. The 4th District voters who used to vote at the now closed Branford Hills School on Burban Drive will vote at Fire Headquarters at 45 North Main Street. Here are the addresses of the polling places by district.

• 1st District: Recreation Department Community House, 46 Church Street.
• 2nd District: St. Therese Church, 105 Leetes Island Road.
• 3rd District: Orchard House Adult Day Care Center, 421 Shore Drive.
• 4th District: Branford Fire Headquarters, 45 North Main Street.
• 5th District: Indian Neck School, 12 Melrose Avenue.
• 6th District: Mary T.Murphy Elementary School, 14 Brushy Plain Road.
• 7th District: Walsh Intermediate School, 185 Damascus Road.

For more information or questions, contact the Branford Registrar of Voters at 203 – 483-3998 or the Town Clerk’s Office at 203 – 315-0678.

The Branford Eagle’s editor, Marcia Chambers will participate in BCTV’s live coverage on election night, starting at 8 p.m.
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