Ridgefield Election 2016: What You Need to Know

RIDGEFIELD, CT — Ridgefield residents will head to the polls on Nov. 8 for the 2016 midterm election. Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. On the ballot, registered voters will be able to select candidates for president and vice president, United States senator, representatives to U.S. Congress, state senator, state representative, and registrar of voters.

In Ridgefield, the choice for State Representative for the 111th District is between Democratic candidate Joe Dowdell and Incumbent Republican John Frey. Dowdell said he has "special interest and expertise in issues surrounding renewable energy, and modernizing and upgrading the power grid."

Frey, now serving in his ninth term, has worked to secure state aid for the Ridgefield Boys & Girls Club, Meals on Wheels, Ridgefield Historical Society, Cass Gilbert Fountain, Ridgefield Playhouse, Rotary Club’s Boundless Playground at Parks and Recreation, school construction and improvements, the Ridgefield Veterans Community Center and the Aldrich Museum, according to his website.

• To read about the U.S. Senate race in Connecticut and the five congressional races see this related story: Connecticut Election 2016: What You Need to Know.

The race for U.S. Congress includes Democrat Jim Himes versus Republican John Shaban. Himes, now in his fourth term, is a member of the House Committee on Financial Services, serves as the ranking member of the NSA and Cybersecurity Subcommittee of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and is Vice-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition.

Shaban, a 30-year resident of Fairfield County, worked for Kelley Drye & Warren law firm and is a partner at Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan. "The federal government has become too involved in state issues, controlling the funding and direction of local issues such as education, land preservation, local road repair and first responder hiring. These dollars should stay in Connecticut and be spent more efficiently in Connecticut, rather than us begging the feds for pennies back on our tax dollar," Shaban said.

The State Senator candidates are Carolanne Curry, Democrat or Incumbent Toni Boucher, Republican, who has held the position since 2008. Senator Boucher serves as a Chief Deputy Minority Leader, is the Senate Ranking Member of the General Assembly’s Transportation Committee, Education Committee and of the Judiciary Committee. She also serves as a member of the General Assembly’s Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee.

Curry worked as the City of New Haven’s Director of Welfare and the City of Bridgeport’s Director of Welfare.

Sharon Wicks Dornfeld, a Democrat, is running against Daniel O'Grady, Republican, for Probate Judge. Dornfeld said she has practiced law in Danbury, "with a focus on representing children and the elderly," since 1983.

O'Grady said he has "extensive legal experience in my 30 years as an attorney. I have litigated hundreds of cases before the Connecticut Supreme Court, the Connecticut appellate court and Superior Court.

The candidates for president and vice president are Republicans Donald Trump and Mike Pence, Democrats Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine, Libertarians Gary Johnson and Bill Weld, and Green Party Jill Stein and Ajamu Baraka.

Click here to view the entire Ridgefield sample ballot.

If you want to know where to vote on Election Day, click this link which is from the CT Secretary of State’s Office.