‘Four!’ Tesei Trounces Krumeich in Bid for 4th Term

Updated: Nov. 5 @ 10:55 p.m.

Greenwich Republican First Selectman Peter Tesei handily won reelection to a fourth term Tuesday, trouncing his Democratic opponent Beth Krumeich by capturing 72 percent of the vote.

Tesei won 8,018 votes; Krumeich 2,950.

The 44-year-old Tesei will lead the three-member Board of Selectmen, with his running mate David Theis and Democrat Drew Marzullo, each winning a third term. Theis received 6,244 votes while Marzullo earned 4,496 votes.

Krumeich was a late addition to the Democratic slate. She took over the Democratic mantle  in early September after the DTC’s first choice, Stephanie Paulmeno, bowed out because of what she said was a smear campaign involving family members.

Petitioning candidate James Reilly received 133 votes.

The new board will be faced with making decision on how Greenwich Public Schools will meet a state Board of Education mandate to racially balance the student population at Hamilton Avenue and New Lebanon schools and improve student achievement throughout the district.

Tax Collector:

Two-term incumbent Republican Tod Laudonia won a third two-year term by beating Democratic challenger Richard Novakowski. Laudonia received 57 percent of the vote or 6.032 ballots, and Novakowski, 43 percent or 4,482 votes.

Board of Estimate and Taxation:

It appears the Republicans will retain leadership control of the town’s financial board which approves the budget and sets the tax rate. The leadership is determined by the number of votes cast in the uncontested races—the party with the highest number of total votes holds the chairmanship.

The Republicans drew a total of 34,393 votes while the Democrats received 21,134 votes.

This year, Democrats rallied the call to expand the town’s borrowing with long-term notes for major capital projects while Republicans maintained that low, predictable tax increases with short-term borrowing are what taxpayers want.

Each party nominated six candidates for each party’s six available seats. The Democrats elected are: incumbents Randall Huffman( 3,242 votes), William Finger (3,414 votes), Mary Lee Kiernan (4,037 votes), Jeffrey Ramer (3,422 votes) and Sean Goldrick (3,152 votes), and newcomer John Blankley (3,867 votes). Republicans elected are: incumbents Michael Mason (5,750 votes), Arthur Norton (5,329 votes), Leslie Tarkington (5,777 votes) and Marc Johnson (5,509 votes), and newcomers Nancy Weissler (6,299 votes) and Bill Drake (5,729 votes).

Town Clerk:

Republican Carmella Budkins was unopposed in her bid for a 12th term. She received 100 percent of the 8,044 votes.

Updated: Nov. 5 @6:37 p.m.
Voting appears to be picking up as Greenwich residents return home from work. Between 5 and 6 p.m., 933 residents cast their votes. That brings the total to 31 percent or 9,902 of the 32,105 eligible voters who cast a ballot today. Polls remain open until 8 p.m.

Updated: Nov. 5 @ 5:35 p.m.
It looks like two of the Riverside voting districts have brought out the highest number voters so far today. According to the 5 p.m. vote tally from the Registrars of Voters, District 5 has a 36 percent turnout with 950 of 2,618 registered voters. In District 12, 34 percent of the 2,976 voters there have voted.

Updated: Nov. 5 @ 4:58 p.m.
Another 793 Greenwich voters cast their ballots in the local elections between 3 and 4 p.m. today, according to the Registrars of Voters. As it stands, a little more than 25 percent of voters have exercised their Constitutional rights—that's 8,120 of the 32,105 registered voters.

Updated: Nov. 5 @ 3:40 p.m.
Nearly 24 percent of Greenwich voters had cast their ballots by 3 p.m., according to the Registrars of Voters. That translates into 7,332 of the town's eligible 32,105 voters.

Updated: Nov. 5 @ 2:45 p.m.
According to the Greenwich Registrars of Voters, as of 2 p.m. about 20 percent or 6,529 of the town's eligible 32,105 voters have cast ballots.

And, 23 voters have taken advantage of Connecticut's new law that allows for Election Day voter registration. Details on how to do that and where, are below.

Updated: Nov. 5 @ 1:30 p.m.
The candidates are out and about in Greenwich and so are the voters who have until 8 p.m. to cast their ballots for town elections.

By about noon, in District 4 — the western Greenwich neighborhood that votes at New Lebanon School — there was an average of nearly 60 voters per hour, according to moderator Rev. John Perling. "Municipal elections get about 40 percent of the voters. This is where the decisions are made in town and affect us more immediately," Perling said. "It is important to vote in the local elections.

Standing at the 75-foot demarcation line for candidates, Democratic Board of Education candidate Samarpana Tamm was greeting voters. Also greeting voters were Republican incumbents First Selectman Peter Tesei, Selectman David Theis, Tax Collector Tod Laudonia and Town Clerk Carmella Budkins, who is assured reelection to her 12th term, as she is unopposed.

Earlier in the morning Tesei, Theis and Laudonia were joined by Republican gubernatorial hopeful Tom Foley as they greeted voters outside Greenwich Town Hall.
 
Voters from District 2 were casting their ballots in the Meeting Room of Greenwich Town Hall. By nearly 11 a.m., 270 of 2,026 registered voters had submitted their ballots. 

"It's on par at this time two years ago, according to Mary Kate McGoldrick, a poll checker. "It was busy before work and will be when the last train comes in," McGoldrick said.

And voters certainly had their options when it came satisfyiing their collective sweet tooth. In town hall, members of the Greenwich High School Orchestra were selling, coffee, brownies, cookies and other assorted goodies to benefit a trip to a band competition to be held next April at DisneyWorld. At New Lebanon School, the PTA and other groups were selling baked goods and raffle tickets for gift baskets.

The Greenwich Democratic Town Committee will wait for the election results at their headquarters at 10 Greenwich Ave., while the Republican Town Committee will be at the Milbrook Club, 61 Woodside Dr.

This story will be updated with pertinent information and election results, so be sure to check back! 

Original story:
Greenwich residents will be able to cast their ballots for races for the First Selectman, Board of Selectmen, Tax Collector, Board of Education, Board of Estimate and Taxation, the Board of Assessment Appeals, the Representative Town Meeting and Constables.

Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. to select candidates, whose terms — except for Board of Education — all last two years. The Board of Education terms are for four years.

Because most of Greenwich's polling places are in public schools, there aren't any classes for Greenwich Public School students on Election Day.

As of Friday, Nov. 2, there were 32,119 registered voters in Greenwich. In the last municipal election in 2011, about 38 percent of voters cast a ballot. According to Town Clerk Carmella Budkins, there were 561 absentee ballots sent to voters who would be unable to vote in person on Nov. 5. As of Friday, Nov. 2, 397 of those ballots had been cast.

If you're not registered to vote, there's a new Connecticut law that allows Election Day Registration and voting. Here in Greenwich same day registration and voting will take place in the ground floor lounge of Greenwich Town Hall. You will need proof of identity such as a current Connecticut driver's license, birth certificate, Social Security card, or a college photo ID. Proof of residency also is needed. Acceptable residency proof includes a current Connecticut driver's license, a utility bill, current college registration, a lease, library card with a residential address, current paycheck of bank statement, property tax bill, naturalization documents or a recent passport that shows residential address.

The Races:

The top vote getter in the First Selectman's race wins. The two seats on the Board of Selectmen is determined by the top two vote-getters of that race and the First Selectman's race. Each seat is for two years. The First Selectman's annual salary is $126,400; the selectmen: $12,640.

First Selectman: (Choose 1 candidate)
Peter Tesei (Republican)
Beth Krumeich (Democrat)
James Reilly (Petition candidate)

Board of Selectmen: (Choose 1 candidate)
David Theis (Republican)
Drew Marzullo (Democrat)

Tax Collector: (Choose 1 candidate)
Tod Laudonia (Republican)
Richard Novakowski (Democrat)

Board of Estimate and Taxation: (Chose any 6 candidates — there are 6 Republican and 6 Democratic seats open, with each party nominating 6 candidates. All are guaranteed election to the non-paying posts. The party receiving the most votes will hold the board chairmanship.)
Republicans:                                              Democrats:
Nancy Weissler                                             Randall Huffman
Michael Mason                                              William Finger
Arthur Norton                                               John Blankley
Leslie Tarkington                                           Mary Lee Kiernan
Bill Drake                                                      Jeffrey Ramer
Marc Johnson                                                Sean Goldrick

Board of Education: (Vote for any 4 candidates; not more than 2 from one party will be selected.)
Republicans:                                    Democrats:
Peter Bernstein                                  Debbie Appelbaum
Brian Peldunas                                   Samarpana Tamm
Peter Sherr                                        Laura Erickson 

Board of Assessment Appeals (Vote for any 3 candidates.)
Republicans:                                    Democrats:
Philip Skidmore                                  Mary McNamee
Richard Kriskey                                  Bill Bambrick
Jeff Reardon

Constables: (Vote for any 4 candidates.)
Republicans:                                    Democrats:
William Fassuliotis                              Philip Pittocco
Siegrun Pottgen                                 James Fahy
John Thompson                                  Donnie Romeo
James Clifford

Town Clerk: (Vote for 1 candidate.)
Republican:
Carmella Budkins

Representative Town Meeting:
Each of the town's 12 election districts has its own ballot with multiple candidates to serve on the 230-member Representative Town Meeting.

Polling Places by District

If you're unsure which district you live in, you can find out using this handy link from the Town of Greenwich website.

District 1
Julian Curtiss School gymnasium, 180 E. Elm St.
District 2
Greenwich Town Hall first floor meeting room, 101 Field Point Rd.
District 3
Western Middle School, 1 Western Junior Hwy.
District 4
New Lebanon School gymnasium, 25 Mead Ave.
District 5
Riverside School gymnasium, 90 Hendrie Ave.
District 6
Old Greenwich School gymnasium, 285 Sound Beach Ave.
District 7
Greenwich High School, 10 Hillside Rd.
District 8
Central Middle School gymnasium, 9 Indian Rock Ln.
District 9
Bendheim Western Greenwich Civic Center, 449 Pemberwick Rd.
District 10
Glenville School, 33 Riversville Rd.
District 11
North Street School gymnasium, 381 North St.
District 12
North Mianus School gymnasium, 309 Palmer Hill Rd.


Election-related letters to the editor and candidates' op-eds regarding issues, may be found in our elections and government categories.