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WATERFORD — Republican Selectman Rob Brule won the open race to be the town’s next first selectman on Tuesday by a definitive margin, and Republicans had a strong showing in all other races for town boards.
Brule defeated Beth Sabilia, a Democratic member of the Representative Town Meeting and former New London mayor, 3,012 to 2,370, or roughly 56 percent to 44 percent. Brule will succeed First Selectman Daniel Steward, who did not seek re-election after serving 14 years as the town’s chief executive.
For the Board of Finance race, all three Republican candidates will be seated: incumbent James M. Reid with 2,671 votes, Kevin Petchark with 2,818 votes, and Kevin Reardon with 2,869 votes.
For the fourth seat, Democrats Kate Fioravanti and J.W. “Bill” Sheehan differed by only 2 votes, with 2,635 and 2,637 respectively. Election officials said that this seat could be subject to a recount if Fioravanti pursued it.
For the Board of Education, Republicans Pat Fedor with 3,325 votes, incumbent Craig Merriman with 3,261 votes, Michele Devine with 3,052 votes, Amanda Gates-Lamothe with 2,994 and Democratic incumbent Marcia Benvenuti with 2,885 votes won seats, defeating Democrats incumbent Christine Hammond (2,611 votes) and Miriam Furey-Wagner (2,424 votes).
Overall, the Representative Town Meeting is set to include 14 Republicans and 10 Democrats, with one Democratic seat potentially subject to a recount due to a close race, according to local election officials.
For the First District, in which voters cast a ballot at Town Hall, Republicans won four seats and Democrats took one.
Republicans Robert Swansen, Timothy Condon, Valerie Muckle Metivier, and Danielle Steward-Gelinas as well as Democrat Nick Gauthier will represent the First District.
For the Second District, in which voters their ballot at Quaker Hill Elementary School, Democrats won four seats and Republicans took two. This is the only district in which Democrats rather than Republicans will have a majority.
Representing the Second District will be Democrats Ted Olynciw, Margaret Welch, Greg Attanasio, and Baird Welch-Collins as well as Republican April Cairns and Liam O’Leary.
For the Third District, in which voters cast their ballot at Oswegatchie Elementary School, Democrats took two seats and Republicans took five.
Representing the Third District will be Republicans Jennifer Antonino Bracciale, Richard Morgan, David Lersch, Richard F. Muckle, and Paul Goldstein, as well as Democrats Tim Fioravanti and Kathy Kohl.
For the Fourth District, in which voters who their ballot at Great Neck Elementary School, one seat’s votes were close enough to be subject to a recount, according to election officials. Democrat Sally B. Ritchie received 827 votes and Republican Francisco Ribas received 816.
Not counting that one seat, Republicans took three seats and Democrats took two in the Fourth District. This includes Republicans Mike Bono, Michael Rocchetti, and Thomas Dembek, as well as Democrats Steve Elci and Susan Driscoll.
An earlier version of this article had not included the names of three winning candidates. They are Amanda Gates-Lamothe on the Board of Education, Liam O’Leary on the RTM Second District, and Jennifer Antonino Bracciale on the RTM Third District.