Stamford Election Results: Democrats Declare Victory In Key Races

This story was updated at 1:55 a.m.

Unofficial, preliminary results provided by the Secretary of State early Wedneday morning indicate Democratic candidates pulled ahead in most races on the ballot.

Democratic incumbent Caroline Simmons, who ran unopposed in the race for the 144th House District, said Tuesday night she was honored to be re-elected and to have the privilege of serving her constituents for another term.

"I look forward to continuing to work tirelessly for the people of Stamford and to help our state overcome the health and economic consequences of COVID-19," Simmons said in an email, "and to fight for Stamford schools, small businesses and our environment."

Unofficial results indicate Simmons received 7,633 votes.

Connecticut Democrats have declared Democratic incumbent Patricia Billie Miller the projected winner in the race for the 145th House District over Republican challenger J.D. Ospina. According to unofficial results, Miller received 5,076 votes while Ospina received 1,502 votes.

Connecticut Democrats have also declared Democratic incumbent Daniel Fox the projected winner over Republican challenger Wilm Donath for the 148th House District. Unofficial results indicate Fox received 5,344 votes and Donath received 1,780 votes.

Connecticut Democrats also declared Democratic incumbent David Michel the projected winner over Republican challenger George Hallenbeck for the 146th House District. According to unofficial results, Michel received 6,734 votes while Hallenbeck received 2,928 votes.

In the race for the 147th House District, unofficial results indicate Democratic incumbent Matt Blumenthal received 5,800 votes while Republican candidate Dan Maymin received 3,679 votes.

In the race for the 149th House District, which covers parts of Greenwich and Stamford, Democratic candidate Kathleen Stowe received 1,921 votes in Stamford, while Republican candidate Kimberly Fiorello received 1,800 votes, as well as an additional 107 votes, in Stamford, according to unofficial results.

Preliminary results also indicated Stowe rceived 4,057 votes in Greenwich, while Republican candiate Kimberly Fiorello received 4,651 votes, plus an additional 185 votes, in that town.

As of 8:45 p.m., votes are still being counted in Stamford. Most local voters who shared their experiences said the process went smoothly Tuesday, despite new protocols in place due to the coronavirus crisis.

"I voted early this morning at KT Murphy, it was calm and organized," Ann Dzenutis said in a comment on Path. "We got there a tad past 6 a.m. and waited for about 50 minutes. When we left, there was probably only a 20 minute wait. I was a little nervous about going to the polls on Election Day, but very pleased with how it went."

STAMFORD, CT — All eyes are on the presidential race Tuesday evening, as President Donald Trump makes his bid for re-election against Democratic opponent and former vice president Joe Biden, however there are still some key races in Stamford local voters have made their decisions on.

In addition to the big presidential and congressional races, all state House of Representative and Senate seats are up for grabs in Connecticut. In addition to the state and federal races, Stamford residents voted for three of four candidates running for re-election to the city's Board of Education.

(The votes are currently being counted and continue to refresh this article for updates as the night progresses. To sign up for free real-time election updates from Patch click here.)

Voting operated a bit different this year thanks to a law which allowed absentee ballot voting for all voters in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Stay on top of all the returns from across Connecticut and our five congressional districts by checking these stories throughout the night.

• Election Results: Keep Up-To-Date On Every Race In CT
• CT Presidential Election Results: Donald Trump Vs. Joe Biden
• CT Election Results: 5 Congressional House Races Up For Grabs

School board candidates

According to Jackie Heftman, delivering quality education in the midst of the coronavirus crisis is one of the most critical issues facing Stamford, and the state, from a schools perspective.

"As a Board of Education member," Heftman said, "it is my responsibility to ensure the health and safety of our staff and students by supporting the superintendent and giving her the resources and talent she needs to be successful."

Rebecca Hamman cited similar issues, noting dealing with both the virus and economic recovery has taken a toll on local families.

"Both issues have financially, as well as emotionally, affected families throughout the area, especially lower Fairfield County," Hamman said. "Dealing with 21 schools and 17,000 students means being aware of the issues and working collaboratively with the [Board of Education]. I enjoy the challenge in helping make the best decision possible."

According to Fritz Chery, "education for our children" is the most pressing issue facing Connecticut from a schools perspective.

"I intend to make sure that those who do not have a voice on education are heard," Chery said.

He also noted his dedication to families served by the Board of Education since being elected to it.

"Since being on the Board of Education," Chery said, "I have consistently read every email that is sent to me by students, parents and teachers."

State races involving local candidates

For the first time in nearly 20 years, the 149th House District seat is up for grabs following Livvy Floren's decision not to seek re-election after ten terms in office. Both Kathleen Stowe, a Democrat, and Kimberly Fiorello, a Republican, are seeking to serve the district, which covers part of Greenwich and a portion of North Stamford.

In the race between Stowe and Fiorello, both have previously served Greenwich in an official capacity. Stowe currently serves as the Board of Education's vice chair while Fiorello has been a member of the Representative Town Meeting since 2017.

According to Stowe, the most pressing issues facing Connecticut are financial in nature.

"Connecticut faces real economic and fiscal challenges," Stowe said, "both in the short term as a result of the pandemic, as well as our long term fiscal position. At the same time, I see a tremendous opportunity to set ourselves up for a bright future. New families are moving here. Let's encourage them to stay and more to come by championing a strong local and state economy, by protecting our bucolic landscapes and by maintaining a top quality education system, all while preserving sound fiscal discipline."

She also noted the state's "work from home culture" and companies looking to leave New York could attract more businesses to Connecticut.

"We have an opportunity to grow our state," Stowe said, "and improve our fiscal health."

Fiorello also pointed to financial issues, declaring the most pressing issue facing the state is "fixing the economy for our taxpayers and businesses."

In response, Fiorello said she would be a "true budget hawk" and a strong defense against "new taxes and bad legislation."

She also said she hoped to "advance good legislation to reignite Connecticut's economy by making sure taxpayers and business owners can keep more of their hard-earned dollars."

For the 145th House District seat, Democratic incumbent Patricia Billie Miller faces off against J.D. Ospina, a Republican. Both are Stamford residents.

Prior to her time in Hartford, Miller served on the city's Board of Representatives. In her Patch candidate profile, she cited economic recovery due to the coronavirus crisis as the most pressing issue currently facing Connecticut.

"We need to use a combination of state and federal funds, both through bonding and grants, to help businesses get back on their feet and help them return to the pre-pandemic levels," Miller said.

Ospina answered similarly, citing the state's "local economy" and "fiscal debt" as its most pressing issues.

"I plan to reduce wasteful spending," Ospina said, "and take a closer look at our budget as I evaluate new legislation."

The following are the key contested races that were on the ballot for Stamford voters:

President/Vice President

Joe Biden/Kamala Harris (Democrat)
Donald Trump/Mike Pence (Republican) - Incumbent
Jo Jorgensen and Chip Cohen (Libertarian)
Howie Hawkins and Angela Walker (Green Party)

U.S. Congress

U.S. House District 4

Jim Himes (Democrat) - Incumbent
Jonathan Riddle (Republican)
Brian Merlen (Independent)

Local State Senate Races

27th Senatorial District

Carlo Leone (Democrat) - Incumbent
Eva Maldonado (Republican, Independent)

36th Senatorial District

Alex Kasser (Democrat) - Incumbent
Ryan Fazio (Republican)

Local State Representative Races

144th House District

Caroline Simmons (Democrat)

145th House District

Patricia Billie Miller (Democrat) - Incumbent
J.D. Ospina (Republican)

146th House District

David Michel (Democrat) - Incumbent
George Hallenbeck (Republican)

147th House District

Matt Blumenthal (Democrat) - Incumbent
Dan Maymin (Republican)

148th House District

Daniel J. Fox (Democrat) - Incumbent
Wilm Donath (Republican)

149th House District

Kathleen Stowe (Democrat)
Kimberly Fiorello (Republican)

Registrar of Voters
Ron Malloy (Democrat)
Lucy Corelli (Republican, Independent)

Board of Education (vote for three)

Jackie Heftman (Democrat)
Andy George (Democrat)
Fritz G. Chery (Democrat)
Rebecca Hamman (Republican)