Local voters are called to Newtown’s polling locations Tuesday, November 5, to choose between Democratic and Republican candidates running for various offices serving and supporting town government. Local Independents opted out of fielding any challengers in the local election, and there are no unaffiliated or write-in candidates.

There are several races with no challengers, including the top of ticket contests for first selectman and the Board of Selectmen. That means the current Board of Selectmen makeup will remain with Republican First Selectman Pat Llodra, her GOP running mate Will Rodgers, and Democrat James Gaston, Sr, all returning for two-year terms.

The Board of Finance race, which permits either party to field up to six candidates, only has six participants, so they will all win seats for the next two years. That board includes incumbent Republicans John Kortze, Joe Kearney, Harrison Waterbury, and John Godin along with incumbent Democrat James Filian and Democrat Michael Portnoy, who previously served on the board and is returning for another term.

And Republican David Freedman is running unopposed to fill a midterm vacancy on the Board of Education. That term expires in 2015.

The Newtown Bee is featuring online survey profiles for each candidate on the rest of the ballot who has chosen to provide one. In addition, The Bee hosted a forum introducing voters to the candidates for the Board of Education.  (You can see video of the forum here.)

The school board forum will air for Charter cable subscribers on Public Access Channel 21 November 3 at 10 am and 4:30 pm, and November 4 at 2 pm.

This week’s edition of The Bee also features the survey profiles for the Legislative Council and the town clerk races.

In District 1 for the Legislative Council, Democratic incumbent Paul Lundquist is running with challengers Paul J. Dwyer and Ross P. Carley, who is a current Zoning Board of Appeals and Fairfield Hills Authority member.

Incumbent Daniel Honan is seeking reelection in Council District 2 along with challengers Eric Paradis and former 106th District contender Lisa Romano.

In District 3, incumbent Daniel Amaral will seek reelection along with challenger Jane Bojnowski.

Former Charter Revision commissioner Michelle Embree Ku and Laura F. Main, both Democrats, are running for open four-year seats on the Board of Education. For town clerk, the Democrats are fielding former assistant town clerk and current Borough Clerk Ann M. LoBosco Benore.

Borough Zoning Attorney Don Mitchell will run for the Planning and Zoning commission, while incumbent P&Z Alternate Rudolph Pozek will seek reelection, along with Zoning Board of Appeals incumbent Alan Clavette. Former first selectman Herb Rosenthal is an incumbent Democratic candidate for ZBA alternate, and incumbent Andrew Sachs seeks to retain his seat on the Police Commission.

Incumbent Mary Fellows was endorsed for the Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers.

The three GOP incumbents seeking seats for Legislative Council District 1 are Bob Merola, George Ferguson, and Joe Girgasky. Republican incumbent council Vice Chair Mary Ann Jacob, incumbent Dan Wiedemann, and newcomer Ryan Knapp are running for the Legislative Council in District 2.

Legislative Council District 3 will see incumbents Phil Carroll and Neil Chaudhary, along with attorney Tony Filiato seeking seats on behalf of the GOP.

Besides Mr Freedman, Republican candidates for the four-year openings on the Board of Education include incumbent Chair Debbie Leidlein, Keith Alexander, and former Legislative Council Education Committee chair Kathy (Fetchick) Hamilton.

Incumbent Republican Town Clerk Debbie Aurelia Halstead is running for another four-year term. Underticket GOP candidates include Marianne Brown for Board Assessment Appeals; Frank Corigliano for Planning & Zoning; David Ruhs and Fred Taylor for P&Z Alternates; Barbara O’Connor for Zoning Board Appeals; Roy Meadows and Jane Sharp for Zoning Board Appeals Alternates; Jim Viadero for Police Commission; and former Probate Judge Margot Hall for Edmond Town Hall Board of Managers.

On Election Day, those voters residing in District 1 vote at Newtown Middle School, Gym A; those in District 2 vote at Reed School Cafetorium; those in District 3-1 vote at Head of Meadow School Cafetorium; and those in District 3-2 vote at Edmond Town Hall, Lower Meeting Room.

Residents who wish to confirm their voting location may also visit the Registrars of Voters website to input their address: www.newtown-ct.gov/Public_Documents/NewtownCT_Registrar/FindStreet.

Republican Registrar of Voters Karin Aurelia reminds residents who may have missed the October 29 cutoff for registering to vote, that same day registration or EDR (election day registration) is available between 6 am and 8 pm in the registrars office at Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street. Those individuals must bring identification that will prove they are a resident of Newtown.

Absentee ballots are now available for the local election during office hours Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm at the town clerk’s office at Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street. There will be a special Saturday Absentee Voting session from 9 am to noon on November 2 at the town clerk’s office.

Any qualified person who meets any of the following criteria may vote by absentee ballot:

1) active service in the Armed Forces

2) absence from the town during all the hours of voting

3) illness     

4) physical disability

5) religious tenets which forbid secular activity on the day of the referendum or

6) duties as a referendum official at a polling place other than your town during all the hours of voting.

As per Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 9-140 and 9-369c, for a referendum held with less than three weeks notice, you may obtain an absentee ballot by applying at the town clerk’s office in person.

Absentee ballots can be returned in person to the town clerk by 4:30 pm Monday, November 2, or by mail or designee before the closing of the polls on Election Day, 8 pm, November 5.

Anyone with questions is asked to contact town clerk’s office at 203-270-4210.