HAMDEN, Conn. — The last-minute push is on for local government candidates to campaign before Election Day.
Candidates have been working hard over the last several months to get the word out about their platforms. Now, the next few days are focused on getting their supporters to turn out. That can be a challenge: despite how close to home many municipal issues hit, voters tend not to turn out for 'off-year' elections.
For last year's presidential election, almost 80 percent of the state's registered voters turned out. In 2018, the race for governor brought out 65% of registered voters. But in the last municipal elections, in 2019, barely a third (33.55 %) of eligible voters cast a ballot, according to the Secretary of the State's office.
Democrat Lauren Garrett and Republican Ron Gambardella will go head to head in the race for Hamden mayor.
Garrett beat out three-term Mayor Curt Balzano Leng in the democratic primary. She and volunteers with the Hamden Democratic Town Committee were going door to door Saturday evening to talk with residents in the final stretch before Tuesday -- Election Day.
“I’ve knocked on thousands of doors this campaign season and there’s a pretty universal feeling that we need to go in a different direction,” Megan Goslin with Hamden Democrats said.
The next few days will be focused on rallies, phone calls, and door-knocking to get people out to the ballot box on Election Day. The candidates are hopeful their plans for the town will make a difference.
“In Hamden, of course, it’s finances, we need to get the mill rate under control and the Democrats have a plan to do that and a lot of what we’re going to do is all about economic development: getting our infrastructure ready for a big boom in our economy,” Garrett said.
Her opponent, Gambardella, told FOX61 he’s utilizing social media and electronic outreach to get the word out about his platform, focused on finance, public safety, and economic development.
“With regard to finance, there are two ways you could address the issue, that is revenue generation and expense reduction. Part of what I’m trying to do is a unique perspective in terms of bringing businesses in and partnering with the town,” Gambardella said.
Mayor Erin Stewart campaigning 2021
In New Britain, incumbent Mayor Erin Stewart is facing a challenge from State Representative Bobby Sanchez. In the heavily Democratic city, Republican Stewart has been re-elected three times since she became the city's youngest mayor at age 26 in 2013. Sanchez is hoping to set another mark -- to become the Hardware City's first Hispanic mayor in a city where nearly half the population speaks Spanish.
Stewart's campaign says she and her team spent the morning finalizing their plans for covering New Britain on Election Day, then "took to the streets to continue spreading team Stewart's positive message throughout the entire city”.
State Rep. Bobby Sanchez running for mayor of New Britain
Sanchez was out trying to crank up the enthusiasm as well, knocking on doors and visiting a vaccine clinic, with the help of 5th District Congresswoman Jahana Hayes.
Election Day is this Tuesday, November 2nd. Polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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