About this column:
Wall-to-wall coverage of the campaigns for public office in central Connecticut.
The Chatham Party won four seats to take control of the East Hampton Town Council on Tuesday night. Sue Weintraub, the only Chatham Party candidate on the previous council, was the top vote-getter with 1,475. "I'd like to thank the people of East Hampton for their confidence and trust. What took place tonight was extraordinary," Weintraub said. "They're saying what they want. Very clearly. They want us to take politics out of town governance. They want us to lead this town forward, and that's what we're going to do." In all, the Chatham Party won eight seats, including two on the board of …
Portland Democrats retained control of the Board of Selectmen for the next two years, with Susan Bransfield winning a fifth term as First Selectman on Tuesday night. Three Democrats were re-elected to the board. They were Brian Flood, Mark Finkelstein and Kathleen Richards. Fred Knous, who was tapped to fill a seat that was vacated in August, won a full term. Bransfield garnered 1,465 votes to defeat Republican Don Bascom, who tallied 683 votes. Third-party candidate Lambros Lambrinides came in third with 114 votes. Democrats also easily retained their majority on the board of selectmen. …
Update 4 p.m.: Voter turnout has been mixed in Portland East Hampton. "The turnout I think is probably average," Portland First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield said. "Early in the morning they were probably running similar to what they do for other local elections. I think the turnout has been good, the weather has been on our side, it's just a fantastic day." Bransfield, a Democrat who is being opposed by Republican Don Bascom and Lambros Lambrinides of the American Independence Party, is seeking her fifth term. "I'm feeling positive," she said. "We're optimistic and know that we have run a …
