Nov 8, 2007
Klein, Democrats win selectmen majority
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Democrat Evonne Klein won a third term and a majority on the Board of Selectmen Tuesday, picking up 65 percent of the vote and declaring a mandate to lead the town.
For the first time in the town’s 187-year history, the Democrats will control the executive board. That is thanks to overwhelming support for Klein and her running mates, Callie Sullivan and David Bayne. Republican candidates Linda Santarella, an incumbent, and Seth Morton won the other two seats on the five-member board.
Klein beat Republican challenger, David Kenny, a Planning & Zoning commissioner, 3,041 votes to 1,643. This year’s margin of victory was her greatest yet. In 2005, Klein won by 977 votes; in 2003, she won by 212 votes. Republicans outnumber Democrats here by more than 3 to 1. Topping the selectmen ballot were Democrats Sullivan with 2,696 votes and Bayne with 2,514 to Santarella’s 1,938 and Morton’s 1,931. Had Kenny received more than 1,931 votes, he would have won the final seat on the board. Town election law leaves an opening for the loser of the first selectman race to join the Board of Selectmen.
Darien election results
“Well, we have a mandate. And that is to keep it going. And that is exactly what we’re going to do,” Klein told supporters at the Democratic headquarters at the corner of Post and Tokeneke roads.
“Evonne was a trailblazer four years ago, she set the tone, she set up a heart connection with the community, she cared about the community,” John Davis, the Democratic Town Committee chairman, said. “Her opponents obviously were very negative sometimes — I have to say it, I have the right to say it tonight — we were very positive. The town saw that. We crushed them! We crushed them!”
‘A mandate’
As the results were called in to the Democrats’ headquarters, it quickly became clear that the minority party was on its way to a big win. The crowd of campaign workers, downtown business owners and even some Republicans — such as former Selectman Joe Miceli — held its collective breath while numbers were called out. After each reading of Klein’s, Sullivan’s and Bayne’s totals, the place erupted in applause. “We’re gonna do it!” was heard many times.
“It’s a mandate for progress,” Klein told The Darien Times Wednesday morning. “David and Callie stand for something: progress. That is something the voters obviously saw.”
Speaking of municipal elections, said Klein: “The community votes for a leader or leaders who can get the job done. The community doesn’t put party first they put the community first. That is what we continue to see.”
Klein said she looks forward to convening the new board and setting up its priorities for the next year. “I’m very excited,” she said of the new board. “I think everyone brings something different to the table — different talents, different perspectives. More minds on a project make things better. I look forward to a very productive term... It’s going to be a rigorous term. We have a lot of projects we need to continue to push along.”
Sullivan, the top selectman vote-getter, was still excited Wednesday morning. “I felt like we ran an issue-based campaign and our issues seemed to resonate with the voters,” she said. “And certainly Evonne’s experience and her success was important — people don’t want to move backwards. All those things added up to lead us to believe we would be successful.”
While campaigning, Sullivan said she learned that the town has a lot of newcomers. “Our demographics are constantly changing,” she said. “Because of that, there is no one right way to do things. And I learned that people are open to change.”
Bayne said he and his fellow Democrats couldn’t have done it without Republican support. “I can’t tell you how many Republicans told me they voted for us,” he told The Darien Times on Wednesday. “People are sick and tired of partisan differences.”
Bayne said he’s “looking forward to working with Seth and Linda and the other boards and commission. The voters really sent a message that it is time to put away our partisan differences to do what is best for the town.”
‘Surprised’
Just down the Post Road at the Republican headquarters Tuesday night, the reactions were full of shock and disbelief. As the numbers were being called out, it was one “Ouch,” “Whoa,” and “Ugh” after another from the crowd.
When it was all said and done, it was a clean sweep across all six voting districts for the Democrats. And it wasn’t even close.
“I’m surprised that the difference in vote was as big as it was,” Jack Orchulli, RTC chairman, told The Darien Times after the final votes were tallied. “Clearly the voters were telling us something.”
Peter Hovell, Board of Finance member and active Republican, thought “it would be better than this.”
While Kenny noted, “it goes without saying that the results are very, very disappointing,” he concentrated more on voter turnout when he addressed those in attendance at the RTC headquarters. He said the voter apathy in the Republican Party made the loss even harder to take.
“As a veteran, it’s even more disappointing because we fight for our country and we fight for our vote.”
The Republican Party will move on without Kenny as Santarella was elected to a third term on the Board of Selectmen and Morton will take a seat for the first time.
“Me and Linda have been in this together since the start,” Morton said, referring to when they both got involved in town politics over the potential Holmes School closing. “It’s a new beginning for the two of us and it’s great to be on” the board.
Santarella thanked everyone that contributed to the campaign and for all the fund-raising efforts.
“I’m sorry David isn’t going to be on the board with us,” she said. “But it’s good to be back on the board.”
Now the Republican Party will have to take the next two years to figure out how to regain control of the town’s executive branch for the 2009 election.
“We’re disappointed, as you know,” Santarella said. “I said it when Bob Harrell lost — we have to come back and we have to do it as a Republican team. We have to put our differences aside. This is a Republican town and it needs Republican leadership.”
Kenny, whose term on the Planning & Zoning Commission ended this year, is now out of elected office for at least the next two years. But he has faith in his party to come back.
“Over the next two years, the Republican Party is going to have to marshal our forces and figure out how to reclaim the leadership in Darien,” he said.
Before 8:45, the Republican candidates, led by Santarella and joined by Orchulli, arrived at the Democrats’ headquarters. The Democrats were congratulated as the six candidates and two committee heads talked briefly. Then the six candidates posed for a picture together.
Orchulli told The Times Wednesday morning that the GOP is still making changes. He noted how new, younger Republicans were elected to other town boards this week. “We laid that transition with those positions,” he said. “We didn’t have enough time for selectmen transitions — or enough people.
“We’re waiting to see what this party should be. I am convinced by the next go-around that we will accomplish most of what the voters are looking for. Like a professional sports team it doesn’t happen overnight. We started from a low point and are rebuilding. We are looking to bring in a lot more young people.”
When asked if he’ll stay on as head of the RTC, Orchulli said: “It’s too soon to make that decision.”
Other ‘races’
While the Democrats had an impressive victory among selectmen candidates, the uncontested races in town showed that Darien still has a Republican majority.
Three boards and commissions featured candidates from both parties. While there were only as many candidates as there were open posts, Republicans garnered more support than Democrats.
For the Board of Finance, Republicans Murray Stegelman (2,747 votes) and Elizabeth Smith Mao (2,630) were elected along with Democrat Gwen Mogenson (2,183). Republican Lorene Bora was also elected to the board to fill a vacancy; she received 3,019 votes.
For the Board of Education, Republicans Susan Perticone (2,848 votes) and Clara Sarori (2,623) were re-elected with Democrat James Plutte (2,053).
For the Planning & Zoning Commission, Republican Gwen Grimes (2,672 votes) and Reese Hutchison III (2,626) were elected along with Democrat Robert Finke (2,112).
Three constables were re-elected: Republican Joseph Tarnowsky Jr. (2,626 votes) was joined by Democrats David Morgan (2,274) and William Slinsky Sr. (1,864).
Receiving the most votes Tuesday was Town Clerk Donna Rajczewski who topped the counter at 3,292 votes.
In the Representative Town Meeting races across six voting districts, Frank Kemp of District 4 picked up the most votes with 556. In District 1, John Bishko topped out at 394 votes. In District 2, Penne Weicker received 424 for the most. Carolyn Bayne, wife of Selectman-elect David Bayne, garnered the most votes in District 3 with 450. In District 5, Bruce Orr Sr. had the highest number with 422 votes. And in District 6, John Whitehead tallied 310 votes.
E-mail Darien Times editor Joshua Fisher at editor@darientimes.com.
E-mail Darien Times reporter Austin Amoroso at aamoroso@darientimes.com.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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