Democrats captured nearly two-thirds of the contested top local races across Connecticut in this year, expanding their control in a municipal election that saw high turnout.
Of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities, 83 held contested elections for their top executive positions. Democrats won 56 of those races — retaining 29 towns where they already held power while flipping 27 previously Republican, plus Stonington, which was held by a first selectwoman endorsed by both parties.
In addition to sweeping victories in New Haven, where Mayor Justin Elicker won with 84 percent of the vote, and Stamford, where Mayor Caroline Simmons took 66 percent, Democrats captured a string of towns, such as Milford, Stratford, New Britain, Westport, Newtown, Norwich and Southbury.
Republicans managed 25 victories in contested races. Twenty three of those were towns the party already controlled. They flipped two seats previously in Democratic hands: Easton and Sterling.
Election night delivered several razor-thin margins. In North Canaan and Salem, Democratic candidates prevailed each by just three votes. Republicans lost a series of races they had expected to be competitive, including Deep River, Old Lyme and Lyme.
Two independent candidates — Jennifer Mahr in Middlebury and Thomas Dunn in Wolcott — defeated their major-party rivals.
More than a third of Connecticut’s towns held uncontested races. Overall, of the 128 towns that elected new leaders, 69 went to Democrats, 48 to Republicans, nine to candidates cross-endorsed by both parties, and two to petitioning.
The high turnout and Democratic sweep suggested that national political currents — particularly opposition to the federal administration — affected Connecticut’s local races this year.
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Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the Democrats flipped 27 towns (not 23 as originally reported). Republicans flipped two seats.