Q1: There seemed to be more interest in the Stratford mayor’s race this year than I remember. Did more people vote than in past mayoral elections?
A: Most Stratford mayoral races have turnout around the 33 percent mark. Statewide in Connecticut, turnout was 37 percent on Nov. 4. But in Stratford, it was 40.5 percent, far exceeding our expectations (and leading to some nervous moments when we wondered if we had enough ballots printed. We did : )
Q2: When is David Chess sworn-in as Mayor?
A: Under the Town Charter, a new Mayor assumes office on the second Monday in December. For 2025, it is Monday Dec. 8; details will be forthcoming.
Q3. For the Board of Education races, each of the four Democrats got more votes than their four Republican opponents, but I heard only three of the Democrats will actually be sworn in as board members. That doesn’t seem fair.
A: State law stipulates that in Stratford, each major political party must hold at least two of the seven BOE seats. Two Democrats were elected to the board in 2023 and are returning; combined with the top three 2025 Democrat vote getters, that reaches the maximum of five seats for any one party. So Laura Dancho, the top Republican vote getter among the GOP’s 2025 BOE candidates, automatically is elected to the remaining seat.
Q4: I was surprised to see new voting machines on Nov. 4. Where did they come from?
A: In 2025, the state supplied new tabulators – which count and scan ballots – for every town in Connecticut. The November 2025 election was the first time in Stratford they were used in a general election.
The new machines process ballots slightly more slowly than the older machines we once used. They have a large video screen that explains any potential problems, such as a voter perhaps choosing five Board of Education candidates instead of the four indicated on the ballot. We heard very few, if any, complaints about the new machines. We did get some complaints that the 2025 paper ballot itself was hard to read and had smaller ovals for the voter to fill in for their preferred candidates. In response, we bought magnifying sheets that we had on hand at every voting location, allowing a voter to magnify the print on the ballot.
Q5: Are there any elections in 2026?
A: There is an election every year in Connecticut! Next fall, voters will cast ballots for governor, constitutional offices like Secretary of State, and state legislative races. There also could be a party primary election in August if any candidates who do not get their party’s endorsement choose to challenge the choice. Early Voting will be back in 2026. Stratford had more people use Early Voting in 2025 than any other town in the state, due in part to a lively mayor’s race.
MORE QUESTIONS? SEND THEM TO STRATFORD REGISTRAR JAMES SIMON; jsimon@townofstratford.com. This is not an official publication of the Town of Stratford. (Vol. 5, No. 11; November 2025) James Simon
Registrar of Voters (D)
Town of Stratford, 2725 Main St.
Stratford CT 06615
203 385 4049; jsimon@townofstratford.com
