New Canaan Democrats picked up seats on the Board of Education and Town Council in Tuesday’s municipal election, making gains on the elected bodies in this longtime Republican town where unaffiliated voters now make up the single largest voting bloc.
New Canaan Democrats at DTC headquarters on Election Day 2025. Credit: Shiva Sarram
All Democratic candidates won their races—as a result, the party picked up one seat on the school board and two seats on the Town Council. Incumbent Board of Ed member Julie Toal, a Republican, lost her seat, while only incumbents Penny Young and Kim Norton won election to the Town Council among the GOP, with three other candidates falling short.
Here are unofficial results for contested races:
Election 2025 Results—Contested Races
Source: Town of New Canaan
Race Candidate (winners in bold) Votes
Board of Education Hugo Alves* (R) 3,296
Kate Brambilla (D) 3,324
Phil Hogan* (R) 3,201
Josh Kaye (D) 3,317
Giacomo Landi (U) 145
Erica Schwedel* (D) 3,427
Julie Toal* (R) 3,168
Town Council Arvind Bajaj (R) 3,003
Scott Gress (R) 3,032
Lina Lee (D) 3,091
Pavla Levin (R) 2,933
Kim Norton* (R) 3,238
Hilary Ormond* (D) 3,284
Mike Rodgers (D) 3,143
Heather Russell (D) 3,126
Penny Young* (R) 3,174
*incumbent
The Town Council will now be composed of six Democrats and six Republicans, where the GOP had held an 8-4 majority prior to Tuesday’s election. On the school board, Republicans now hold a 5-4 majority, where it had been 6-3.
Tim Klimpl, chair of the Democratic Town Committee, said after the tally came in: “Tonight voters in New Canaan decisively chose better balance in our town government. New Canaan Democrats will protect our most beloved institutions. We look forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting to work.”
Penny Young, a Republican incumbent on the Town Council who won re-election to the legislative body, said: “It goes without saying that I am incredibly flattered by the trust and confidence the citizens have in my decisions which affect their needs and interests and look forward to continuing that commitment. However, I am crushed and disappointed the fine people with whom I campaigned will not be sharing their extraordinary knowledge of town government boards and committees, truly a great loss to the community.”
Democratic incumbent Town Council member Hilary Ormond, who won re-election, said as results came in near midnight, “Thank you, New Canaan.”
She continued: “I am so proud of the New Canaan Democrats. We have worked for years to bring more balance to our elected boards. Let’s get to it, there’s a lot to do.”
Josh Kaye, a Democrat newly elected to the Board of Ed, said he was “excited and optimistic.”
“It’s been a long road getting to tonight, and I’m looking forward to digging in and getting to work for our schools on a more balanced Board of Education,” he said.
Phil Hogan, a school board incumbent and Republican who won re-election, thanked New Canaan voters “for the vote of confidence.”
He continued: “While I’m grateful for another chance to serve on the BOE, I’m disappointed that Julie Toal will no longer be on the Board. I was honored to run and serve with Julie back in 2021. Together, and with the help of Hugo and Dan (Bennett), we weathered a brutal political climate and made sure that New Canaan schools stayed on their longstanding path of academic success. Julie’s energy and courage will be sorely missed. I congratulate Erica Schwedel and the Democratic newcomers on their victories, and look forward to working with each of them on behalf of New Canaan kids and families.”
Hugo Alves, an incumbent Board of Ed member who won re-election, could not immediately be reached for comment.
New Canaan Democrats significantly closed the gap in Board of Ed races in 2021. That year, six women from the party challenged the GOP—Jenn Hladick, Janet Fonss, Fatou Niang, Karen Willett, Erica Schwedel and Penny Rashin (the latter two of whom won election)—and made major gains from prior years.
This Election Day saw 6,144 locals cast ballots on a clear, cool fall day—about 42% of New Canaan’s registered voters (more than 2,000 took advantage of early voting between Oct. 20 and Nov. 2). The turnout was down from the 2021 and 2023 municipal elections, and up from 2019.
Those winning uncontested races include First Selectman Dionna Carlson (4,082 votes), Selectmen Steve Karl (3,131) and Amy Murphy Carroll (2,930), Town Clerk Claudia Weber (4,230), Town Treasurer Andrew Brooks (4,031), Board of Assessment Appeals members Tony Calanca (3,121), John Matz (2,884) and Kevin McIntosh (3,292) and Constables Susan Edmands (2,995), Alberto Gonzalez (2,958), Jill Guzzetti (3,010), Kristen Mitrakis (2,967), Bob Naughton (3,039), Greg Pepe (2,899) and Ed Vollmer (2,968).
Two campaign-related storylines emerged during the runup to Election Day.
First, Norton pursued re-election following a narrow loss at the GOP Caucus, and some within the party pushed back, though she earned nearly as many votes as Young. Some Republicans described the GOP slate of four Caucus-backed Town Council candidates as the party’s “official” choice, while Norton’s supporters called the system flawed. Ironically, the two lowest vote-getters among Town Council candidates at the Republican Caucus in July—Norton and Young—were the only two that won this week.
Second, residents in the final days of the runup received mailers and digital posts from both Democrats and Republicans regarding Board of Education attendance records, party policy and the influence of state and national politics in New Canaan. It isn’t clear whether the mailers affected Tuesday’s outcome.
Asked for her thoughts on the election, Norton said: “I’d like to thank New Canaanites for having faith in me to represent them on the Town Council for another four years. I’d also like to thank my family, especially my husband Bill, for campaigning with me over the last two months, and a huge thanks to my team, also known as ‘Team Kim,’ for their hard work, fortitude and guidance. To those who ran for elected office regardless of the outcome, thank you, too, because putting your hat in the ring takes courage. I’m looking forward to working with our newly elected Town Council members and congratulate them on their win.”
Congratulations to everyone who made the effort to represent our town. Thank you to the voters who took the time to thoughtfully consider who they would support. It’s great news that we will have a more balanced representation in our Town government going forward! Change is healthy.
Thank you, Mike, for your thorough Q+A Interviews of all candidates running in contested elections, to the candidates for running, and especially to residents who took the time to vote.
Given the absence of the New Canaan League of Women Voters Candidate Forum again this year, many residents received numerous mailers, endless emails, and phone calls from political supporters.
Your questions were non-partisan and focused on key issues. Although I knew most of the candidates from both parties, I appreciated reading all of the NewCanaanite interviews, including comments from your readers!
Now that this election is finally over, please work together to keep our town so special.
Congrats to the winners and thanks to the participants. Tale of 2 elections for me but both fun. For those of us who occupy the vast unaffiliated category 2 words of advise if you are running for office 1) get on the ballot – write in is a killer and 2) get out early and go house to house as much as you can. People appreciate it and a great way to get to know the town better. Again congratulations to all and good luck to the new teams.
One quick follow up on the voter list. I sent around 900 letters starting end October to people on the unaffiliated voter list (I made it to last names starting with D) and have had around 30-40 letters returned from the post office so far. In addition when I looked at the list I also knew of people who no longer live here but are on the list (primarily children of existing residents). Today I got a story of an existing and longstanding resident who was not on the list and could fortunately same day register. The voter list will never be perfect, but I encourage a bipartisan and unaffiliated effort to get it cleaned up as much as possible for the next election. Of course not relevant for my tally – just in general good practice to have the rolls as updated as possible.
Maintaining and updating registration rolls is mandated by state statute and assigned to the duly-elected Registrars of Voters: https://www.newcanaan.info/departments/registrars_of_voters/index.php
You might even have received a postcard yourself at some point asking you to confirm your registration information.
When was the last time ? I would get a card every couple of years — I think it’s been over 7 to 10 yrs since I got one
Thank you, Jane, for sharing this information. I researched the State of Connecticut “Registrars of Voters Duties and Responsibilities” found in this website:
https://www.cga.ct.gov/2005/rpt/2005-R-0924.htm
Yes, maintaining and updating registration rolls is mandated by Connecticut General Statute(CGS § 9-21 et seq.) and detailed below:
2. Maintain voter registry lists
a. Prepare and maintain a list of active and inactive voters
b. Prepare a list for each polling place
c. Organize and conduct the ANNUAL* canvass of voters to ascertain residency (CGS § 9-32)
d. Remove from the list electors who move from the voting district, die, or are disenfranchised
e. Enroll party members and prepare and maintain party enrollment lists
*I notated in All Caps
_________________________
I am living in New Canaan for over 27 years and I honestly cannot recall the last time I received a post card nor any communication to verify my residency.
Agree – what I am saying is I think we have a larger margin of error on the rolls than I had expected. It will never be perfect, but as both Richard and Betty appeared to indicate it may have been some time since verification took place (but perhaps they did not get letters as I expect they are frequent voters – however the example of the person who was removed from the rolls is also a frequent voter). For me it mattered as each letter costs money and time, and if they do not live here I would rather not send them a flyer.
The side benefit I expect of doing a letter like I did, rather than a bulk mailer like the political parties and special interest groups do, is I got the letters returned, and hence we have some understanding of opportunity (letters returned / letters sent) to clarify the rolls here in Town. It is all part of making sure we have a well functioning democratic process and expect we all actually agree on that.
Again I gave the source data to you / the town – the registrar(s) can check for themselves and do with it what they would like as we get set for the next election.
Congrats to all 3 incumbents
Who I endorsed — remember the issues
Congrats to the Democratic who gained
Seats — you won by 110 106 and 142 votes
Concentrate on the Town issues if you
Want to be elected again
We are all counting on our NC elected officials to keep our taxes within reason
While keeping our Town one of the top 10
Places to live in the country
Lots of work to be done
Thanks to Mr. Vachula for some insight on voting strategy. I hope the town does not expand our budget with North School.
Congratulations to Tim Klimpl, the DTC and all the candidates who bucked the conventional wisdom that New Canaan Democrats were doomed to perpetual minority party representation status. Been in town since 97, this is the first time I can remember Ds outpolling Rs and having more than the statutory minimum seats on town bodies. Well done!
As a long time fiscal conservative and pro education I am disappointed. However when a battle is well fought you must congratulate the winner(s). From my perspective this election exhibited the most unethical and questionable childish behavior from the party I supported since residing in New Canaan for 28 years.
The behavior is not new. I remember running for town council a decade ago where members of my own party spread a rumor that appeared on the front page of the NC Advertiser that I was not a CPA I passed the CPA exam in 1974. Later I was accused of not being a PCAOB member firm. Funny I have been inspected by the PCAOB on my SEC audits.
The above is just an example of the negativity, false besmirchment and infighting within the Town Republican Party. It finally cost them.
I am not saying the successful candidates are not deserving of victory. What I am saying is that the public exhibition of infighting questions leadership. We have very astute and educated electors in New Canaan, they are observant.
Bottom line the Republican Party publically fought amongst themselves while the Democratic Party exhibited cohesiveness and support for each other. The public observed and they have spoken.
My advice to the Rs look within and change your behavior and methods. Stop alienating your long time supporters.
Good luck to the winners. Now the Town D’S need to walk the walk for the good of all. Fingers crossed.
Roy A Abramowitz CPA
Congratulations to everyone who won. And to everyone who voted. So great to see our town government better representing the town population.
Congratulations to the winners and congratulations to our new Northern New Canaan Voter Association, this is the start of something!
We’re ready for a change. As a block, we’ve been ignored for years by the republican-appointed Planning and Zoning and Wetlands commissions who bend (or break) the rules for the institutional uses and then ignore resident pleas for the preservation of low-density zoning open space. So we got together and decided to back a candidate not a party. Mailers, door-knocking, emails, a fall cocktail party and good old-fashioned phone tree got at least 80 people to the polls, many of them abutters of institutional uses that the town has mismanaged.
Say yes to independent thinkers who listen to voters!
If you show up for us, we’ll show up for you!
In a town like this, nobody should gives a dam about Republicans or democrats.