Election day is here. Twelve polling places across town opened at 6:00am for Greenwich voters who hadn’t already taken advantage of early voting at town hall or completed an absentee ballot.
Polls will be open until 8:00pm. Voters who are in line by 8:00 pm you will be permitted to vote.
Races being watched closely include the contest for Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) where there was a bruising Republican primary in September and the chairmanship is up for grabs.
There are 12 seats on the BET and 13 candidates on the ballot because incumbent BET Republican, Karen Fassuliotis, who was not endorsed by her party, is on the ballot as an Independent. Her presence on the ballot might impact overall votes for the Republican party and the all important chairmanship, with its tie-breaking vote.
The October LWV Greenwich debate among BET candidates focused on funding of the Greenwich Public Schools operating budget. Last year’s budget, which was approved 7-1 by the BOE, was reduced $4.1 million after the BET Republican chair cast his tie-breaking vote.
During public comment at the last school board meeting GHS teachers shared concern about ideas the superintendent had floated to save money in FY ’27 including moving away from the 5-house structure at Greenwich High School and changing the school’s 8-block rotating schedule to 7-block fixed schedule.
On the school board, both parties fielded slates of two candidates for two slots each, but Laura Kostin, a Democratic incumbent who did not get her party’s endorsement petitioned her way onto the ballot along with two endorsed candidates, Bob Chaney and Veronica Chiavaroli.
Greenwich Public Schools are not in session during this municipal election and no conflicting events are scheduled. In 2018 a district-wide staff development day at Greenwich High School, which is the district 7 polling station, resulting in a lack of parking for voters.
Debbie Appelbaum and Steve Waters, candidates for RTM outside Greenwich High School, which served as the polling place for district 7. Nov 4, 2025. Photo: Miller Fishback
At Greenwich High School, the polling place for district 7, students ran a bake sale on Nov 4, 2025. Photo Jams Martines
Turnout
Historically municipal elections have low voter turnout, but according to the Connecticut Secretary of the State, Greenwich had the fifth highest early voter turnout for the Nov 4, 2025 municipal election as of Nov 1.
On Monday, CT News Junkie, shared information from Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas’ office on both early voting and absentee ballots across the state:
“Of the 170,920 early voters to cast a ballot as of Nov. 2, 83,479 are registered Democrats, and 36,525 are Republicans. Another 48,830 are not affiliated with either party and 2,085 are classified as ‘other.’ … Of the 20,197 absentee ballots, Democrats returned 10,277 and Republicans 4,402 with 5,299 unaffiliated and 219 others.”
The Greenwich Registrars of voters share updates on turnout throughout the day.
As of 1:30pm, there were 7,081 in-person votes which is 18.05% of the town’s 39,236 total eligible voters.
Total turnout at 1:30pm including absentee, early votes and in-person was 31.10%
In Greenwich the Nov 2023 municipal election turnout was more than 50% of registered voters.
Across the state in the Nov 2023 municipal election, total turnout was 33.67% registered voters.
In a radio interview Friday on WGCH 1490am, Republican Registrar of Voters Fred DeCaro explained that early voters’ ballots went into envelopes that were sealed, and won’t be unsealed and votes counted until election night.
He said that on Tuesday night, “The first people to know are the runners from the two major parties. By about 8:15pm we have printed out all of the tabulator results and taped them on the wall of the polling places. We have also printed out all the early voting results – and the absentees should be done by about 9:00pm.”
DeCaro said results on paper at 12 polling locations are brought back to the Registrars office by moderators after they’ve locked up their election equipment.
“We’re not even starting typing some of those numbers in until 9:00pm in some cases, and 9:30pm in some of the distant places,” he said.
DeCaro said he hoped that in 2026 legislators will agree to a change that would mean early voters could feed their ballots directly into tabulators just like on election day.
The Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas’ website says, anyone encountering problems on Election Day should contact the Election Day Hotline at 1-866-733-2463 or send an email to [email protected]
“You are part of keeping elections secure. If you see something that seems wrong, say something. Report it to the State Elections Enforcement Commission, the website says.
