Politics & Government

Suffield Election off to Good, Average Start

Voter turnout was at about 18 percent at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The candidates were all grateful for a warm, dry day for the election.

Suffield had 18 percent of its eligible voters, 1515 in all, turn out by 2 p.m. Tuesday, an average start to a municipal election that was obstructed by the aftermath of the recent and severe snowstorm.

Voter turnout in the 2009 municipal election was slightly higher at 2 p.m., with about 20 percent of voters, 1721 in all, having cast a ballot at that point in the day. The registrars in the middle school said the slight discrepancy could be connected to the 85 absentee ballots that had yet to be counted. The registrars were beginning the process of adding those ballots to the tally around 2:30 p.m.

Candidates for both parties were out in full force at Tuesday, thankful for a warm, dry day that has facilitated voter turnout. Candidates rarely agree on election day but all were happy with the weather in Suffield.

Find out what's happening in Suffieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A slow but continuous trickle of voters came through in the early afternoon. Democratic Board of Assessment Appeals candidate Steve McKeen as average and steady characterized the pace of activity.

First Selectman Tom Frenaye, a Democrat running for his second term, was surprised by the turnout thus far.

Find out what's happening in Suffieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"[I] kind of expected it to be low," he said, noting the town's recent struggles recovering from the early snowstorm.

He was appreciative of the warm weather, noting previous election days in early November have been filled with wind, sleet and rain.

Republican board of selectmen incumbent candidate Joanne Sullivan, at the middle school with other republican candidates, said she is again without power after regaining it for about 36 hours. The effects of the storm have started to subside but they are still very real for both voters and candidates.

Republican candidate for first selectman Ed McAnaney was happy to be out on election day. He said everybody he's talked to so far "seems pretty pleasant" and was happy about the weather.

"It's all good," McAnaney said.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here