According to unofficial results, Democratic First Selectman Mary Glassman beat her challenger in Tuesday's election but Republicans gained a 4-2 majority on the Board of Selectman.
Democratic and Republican leaders agreed Tuesday night that Glassman won the seat for first selectman and will be joined on the board by Democrat Lisa Heavner and Republicans Nancy Haase, Sean Askham, Mike Paine and Cheryl Cook. The last two are newcomers.
Although Haase was defeated by Glassman for first selectman, she stays on the board because her vote total was still high enough to beat out Democrats Shannon Knall and Jay DeVivo. Knall is serving the remainder of now State Rep. John Hampton's term on the BOS and DeVivo would have been a newcomer.
Currently the Board of Selectmen consists of three Democrats and three Republicans.
Democrats and Republicans also agreed that Moira Wertheimer and Linda Schofield were elected to the Board of Finance. Wertheimer is currently a selectman and Schofield a former state representative. Left out of the Board of Finance is 18-year member and long-time Republican Paul Henault, taking that board from a Republican majority to a 3-3 split.
The two parties gathered across the street from each other Tuesday night, with Democrats downstairs at Metro Bis and Republicans at the Iron Frog. Both camps conceded that results were somewhat mixed, thanked those who ran and have served in town and talked about working together.
"Nancy and our team's message really resonated with voters," Askham said. "We're excited to get to work with the whole Board of Selectmen."
"We're very honored and proud to serve the people of Simsbury," Glassman said. "We look forward to working with the new members of the Board of Selectmen.
See the numbers at http://www.sots.ct.gov/sots/lib/sots/electionservices/electionresults/2013/simsbury.pdf
Earlier updates.
Update 9:28 p.m. Tuesday
Election results are mixed with Mary Glassman retaining her seat as First Selectman but Republicans gaining a 4-2 majority on the Board of Selectmen.
Seated on the board, according to both Republican and Democratic leaders are Democrat Lisa Heavner and Republicans Sean Askham, Nancy Haase, Cheryl Cook and Mike Paine.
Seated for the Board of Finance were Moira Wertheimer and Linda Schofield, according to unofficial results. Current Board of Finance chairman and long-time member Paul Henault was not elected.
More to come
Update 8:41 pm Tuesday
Excitement is high as Democrats and Republicans are gathered across the street from each other to watch election results
The Democrats are gathered at Metro Bis and Republicans at The Iron Frog.
Update 1 p.m. Tuesday
As of Noon, voter turnout was approximately 15 percent. By location, the noon turnout was as follows:
- HJMS — 815, (16.66%)
- Latimer — 776, (15.17%)
- Tootin' — 619, (16.19%)
- Tariffville — 320, (14.25%)
While numerous positions are up for grabs, the races for first selectman and selectman have garnered the most attention.
On one side of the aisle, First Selectman Mary Glassman and her Democratic team say their record is strong.
"We are proud of the leadership team we've put together to keep Simsbury moving forward: Mary Glassman, Lisa Heavner, Shannon Knall, and Jay DeVivo," Glassman said. "We ask for your vote to keep Simsbury a great place to raise a family, work, learn and do business."
Republicans, however, contend that the town can do better.
"Overall it has been a great experience for our entire team, led by Nancy Haase. Her experience, hard work and plan on how to make this an even better town has really driven our team over the past months," said Republican leader and selectman candidate Sean Askham.
Over the past few months, candidates for selectmen and others have spent time cutting ribbons, talking to voters at grocery stores, blogging on Patch and more.
"We undertook a massive door to door effort and the resounding theme from the voters was; it’s time for a change," Askham said. "Folks are concerned about their taxes, they are concerned about the Hartford leaving and they see the vacant store fronts. Nancy is the best person to address these critical issues going forward."
"We have a team of moms, dads, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and most importantly volunteers, all ready to serve this town we all call home. I am excited for Election Day and I am extremely proud of our Republican team. I look forward to seeing our family’s, neighbors and our friends across the aisle tomorrow at the polls," Askham added. "I have been at the polls nearly every election since I was a little kid and I still can’t wait to hear the results each year. After all of the hard work, it’s so gratifying to have folks in the town I grew up in support our team and cast their ballots for Row A."
Democrats, on the other hand, have staunchly defended their record and emphasized the accolades the town has received.
"Hard work pays off - Money Magazine has named Simsbury one of the top places to live three times in four years and Connecticut Magazine just named Simsbury as a best place to buy a house, best economy and best schools for our category," Glassman said. "You can count on the Glassman team to continue to hold the line on spending, plan for future growth and protect Simsbury's quality of life. We're proud that today's 2013 budget is at the same level as 2008 with efforts such as increased grant funds, regional sharing and increased technology to reduce costs to taxpayers. Because of financial excellence, Moody's Investors Service awarded the town an Aaa bond rating - the best a town can get and one that saves residents thousands of dollars." Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Town of Simsbury has four polling locations:
- Henry James Memorial School
- Latimer Lane School
- Tootin Hills School
- Tariffville School
Election Day Registration: Individuals who choose to participate in Connecticut’s Election Day Registration program, new for this election, should appear in person at Simsbury Town Hall during voting hours on November 5. Please bring a valid ID to register. Election Day Registration must be completed by 8 p.m. in order to cast a ballot. The EDR process is expected to take approximately 30 minutes, so please prepare to arrive with sufficient time to vote.
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