FAIRFIELD, CT — After a recount of the votes in District 2 from Nov. 7, Fairfield Democrats added another seat to the party’s majority on the Representative Town Meeting, bringing its total to 31 members to the Republicans’ nine.
Democrats picked up eight seats on the RTM in the election, in addition to winning the First Selectman’s office with Bill Gerber’s victory over incumbent Republican Brenda Kupchick, and held onto the majority on the Board of Finance.
The results of Tuesday’s District 2 recount are as follows (winners in bold):
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(D) Scott Bisang — Election: 627; After recout: 628
(D) Tara Cook-Littman — Election: 704; After recount: 704
(D) Dave Rock — Election: 643; After recount: 646
(D) Sunila Fadl — Election: 633; After recount: 634
(R) Christopher Shea — Election: 708; After recount: 708
(R) Amy O’Shea — Election: 669; After recount: 669
(R) Amir Nasir — Election: 623; After recount: 623
(R) Ed Bateson — Election: 644; After recount: 644
Democrats now hold a super majority on the RTM, which will allow the party to set the legislative agenda, and potentially overturn fiscal budgetary decisions by the Board of Finance, such as restoring funds that are cut.
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Liz Zezima, a Democrat and currently Majority Leader on the RTM, told Patch that the party’s new membership edge was due to a resounding message that voters sent to officials.
“It was a strong message from voters that they trusted Democrats to lead our elected boards,” Zezima said.
More than 40 percent of the town’s eligible voters cast ballots in the Nov. 7 election, an impressive turnout that Democrats helped drive by knocking on more than 20,000 doors throughout Fairfield.
“We had strong candidates, who ran good campaigns, especially at the top of the ticket,” Zezima said.
As for what Democrats will prioritize on the newly elected RTM has not been fully fleshed out, according to Zezima, but three issues that she believes helped the party were the adoptions of a noise ordinance, the safe and livable streets initiative, and the creation of the state-mandated Fair Rent Commission.
“I think constituents saw us out there fighting for those three primary issues, and I think our body of accomplishments were on people’s minds,” Zezima said, adding that few, if any, Republicans supported those initiatives. “Those issues helped show voters who was on the side of the little guy, and who was on the side of the big guy.”
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