Voters say choice for mayor was easy

Written by Fred Musante
Tuesday, 03 November 2009 12:13

But that doesn't mean they agree

Shelton voters may have been divided in their choices for mayor on Election Day, but all of those interviewed by the Huntington Herald Tuesday morning as they came out of their polling place said they found it easy to decide.

Polls closed Tuesday night after the Herald’s deadline. Election results will be posted on our Web site at huntingtonherald.com.

This year’s election featured a three-way contest for mayor between incumbent Republican Mayor Mark Lauretti, running for a 10th two-year term, Democrat Chris Jones and Citizens United candidate Mark Widomski.

Joanne Farhurst of Country Place said she voted for Lauretti, as she had in the past.

“He’s been there for many years and he’s kept my taxes good,” she said after voting at Sunnyside School.

But Jeri-Lyn Walsh of Grove Street said she voted for Jones.

“Enough is enough. I’m just done with Lauretti,” she said. “It’s time for a change.”

Outside the Long Hill School poll, Clement Welsch of Asbury Ridge and Stan Tashman of Country Walk said they preferred to keep their choices private, but both said the decision was an easy one.

Election Day dawned with ground fog that gave way by the end of the morning rush hour to clear, bright, sunny skies and seasonal temperatures.

Politicians campaigning at the polls were grateful. Alderman Eric McPherson (R-2) greeting voters at Sunnyside School said he awoke before dawn and saw the skies were overcast, so he wore a raincoat just in case.

At Republican headquarters, Aldermen Ken Olin, who is not running for reelection, recalled the cold, rainy weather two years ago for the last city election, which made it uncomfortable for candidates outside the polls. “We froze,” he said.

City election officials reported early morning voter turnout was normal for city elections. Republican Registrar of Voters Peter Pavone said polls opened on time at 6 a.m., and no problems had been reported.

Election officials said they had received 426 absentee ballots as of Monday, and 23,895 active registered voters were eligible to vote.

They said they changed their vote-counting procedures to avoid the foul-up that occurred in 2008, when the tally wasn’t completed until nearly 2 a.m. and still resulted in an error in totals for the 4th Congressional District contest.

Voters awoke on Election Day to screaming front-page headlines about the trial of James Botti, a Shelton developer accused in a federal grand jury indictment of bribing city officials.

“Botti trial opens with testimony on stacks of cash” said the lead headline, above the fold, in the New Haven Register.

“Plenty of drama marks 1st day of testimony in Botti trial” was the headline below the fold in the Connecticut Post.

Most voters in Shelton are familiar with the case and that Lauretti is suspected of being a key co-conspirator. Lauretti has denied any wrongdoing, and he has not been indicted or otherwise identified by federal authorities as having anything to do with the case.

Months of intense media coverage and negative campaigning that focused on the corruption allegations that Jones conducted in the last week before the election, plus the headlines in the daily newspapers on Election Day, pose a serious threat to Lauretti’s re-election.

Nevertheless, Lauretti was still seen as the front-runner, though not by the landslide margins of many past election.