Polls opened at 6 a.m. Tuesday to select Hamden’s Democratic mayoral candidate in a primary race between incumbent Lauren Garrett and challenger Walter Morton IV.
A representative from the Hamden Registrar of Voters confirmed that 620 Hamden residents across the town’s nine districts had cast ballots as of 8 a.m.
As of 2:40 p.m., the Hamden Registrar of Voters confirmed that just over 1,700 Hamden citizens voted across the town’s nine districts.
Only around 5,300 of Hamden’s 61,000 residents voted in the town’s 2021 Democratic primary. In that election, Garrett swept each of Hamden’s voting districts and finished ahead of then-Mayor Curt Leng and candidate Peter Cyr with over 55% of the party vote.
The winner of Tuesday’s primary race will represent the Democratic Party in November’s general election against Republican candidate Crystal Dailey. A Republican has not won a mayoral race in Hamden since 1997.
The candidates debated their policy platforms Friday in the run-up to the election.
Morton told HQNN just before 2 p.m. Tuesday that he thought “things are going well.”
“I think it’s going to be close,” Morton said. “But I like our chances more and more.”
Garrett’s campaign did not immediately respond to HQNN’s request for comment.
Hamden voters have until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, to cast votes.
Polling stations can be found here.
This is live election coverage and will be updated as more information emerges.