New Canaan Voters Approve Four Of Five Changes To Charter

NEW CANAAN, Conn. — Voters in New Canaan approved four of the five ballot questions posed on Charter changes in voting on Tuesday while also sending some familiar faces back to Hartford.

Daily Voice

11/08/2016 10:30 p.m.

Due to those votes, the first selectman will no longer serve as the chairman of the town's Board of Finance. But members of the finance board will still be required to be real estate taxpayers.

Voters in New Canaan also cast ballots to return some familiar faces to Hartford. For the State Senate, the winners are:

In Senate District 36, Republican incumbent L. Scott Frantz turned back challenges from Democrat John Blankley and Edward G. Heflin of the Green Party, to win his fifth term, according to Greenwich Time.
In Senate District 26, Republican incumbent Toni Boucher topped Carolanne Curry, a Democrat, for her fifth term, according to the News-Times.

The winners in the State House are:

In House District 125, Republican incumbent Tom O'Dea beat Hector L. Lopez of the Green Party.
In House District 142, Republican incumbent Fred Wilms won his second term by defeating Anna Duleep, of the Working Families Party, and. Hector L. Lopez, of the Green Party, according to The Hour.

In local elections, George F. Cody, a Democrat, won election as the registrar of voters.

Here are the results, according to the New Canaan Advertiser, of the five local questions on the New Canaan ballot:

1. Shall the current Charter be changed to allow electors to vote for up to six Town Council members, which is typically the number of vacancies, instead of the current limit of four during each biennial election? Passed
2. Shall the current Charter be changed so that members of the Board of Finance will no longer be required to be real estate taxpayers, in order to be consistent with the requirements for the Town Council and other boards, commissions and committees? Failed
3. Shall the current Charter be changed so that the First Selectman, although remaining an ex officio member of the Board of Finance, will no longer serve as Chairman of the Board of Finance, and the Board of Finance will choose its Chairman from its regular members? Passed
4. Shall the current Charter be changed by adding articles and provisions including the Audit Committee, Conservation Commission, Health and Human Services Commission, Inland Wetlands Commission, Ethics Board and Town Attorney? Passed
5. Shall the current Charter be changed to make a series of technical and conforming changes which clarify definitions, delete outdated references no longer applicable and update provisions to current practice? Passed

For the U.S. Senate, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat, won re-election by topping Republican challenger Dan Carter of Bethel. Carter did not seek re-election to the State House due to his Senate run.

Click here to read the story at the New Canaan Advertiser website. Click here to read the story at the Greenwich Time website. Click here to read the story at the Hour.

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