Bethel Daily Briefing: Election Day 2011 Edition

Today is Tuesday, Nov. 8, the 312th day of the year. In the United States, today is also Election Day.

Election Day Weather

• Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. Light north wind. 
• Tuesday Night: Patchy fog after 2 a.m. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 42. Calm wind. 

Information About Voting in Bethel 

- Polls will be open from 6 a.m to 8 p.m. 

- There are five voting districts in the Town of Bethel. To find your district by address, click here.

- For each district, there is a specific polling location:

• District 1: , 1 School Street
• District 2: , 59 Stony Hill Road
• District 3: , 200 Whittlesey Drive
• District 4: , 1 School Street
• District 5: 200 Whittlesey Drive

- In the state of Connecticut, voters are required to present a form of identification prior to casting their ballots. A photo ID is not required but it must be a preprinted form of ID that shows your name and address, name and signature or name and photograph. Acceptable forms of ID include:

• a Connecticut State driver's license 
• a social security card
• a copy of a utility bill 
• a bank statement
• a paycheck or government check

- The office of the  (203-794-8505) or the  (203-794-8516) can answer any additional questions about voting in town. 

- If you or someone you know needs a ride to the Bethel polls, please call 203-300-9193.

The Candidates

To the right is a sample ballot, which will be front and back at the polls. Below is a list of candidates in order of which they appear on the ballot (* indicates an incumbent):

First Selectman

• Democrat/Working Families: Matthew S. Knickerbocker* 
• Republican/Independent: Kevin L. Cleary
• CT Tea Party: Robert E. Burke

Selectman

• Democrat/Working Families: Richard C. Stration*
• Republican/Independent: Paul R. Szatkowski*
• CT Tea Party: Robert Z. Crnic

Town Treasurer

• Democrat/Working Families: Thomas O'Leary
• Republican/Independent: Robert L. DiMatteo
• CT Tea Party: Jack J. Moody

Board of Finance (vote for any three)

• Democrat/Working Families: Claudia J. Stephan
• Democrat/Working Families: Eileen Freebalm
• Democrat: Patricia Smithwick
• Republican/Independent: James Roden*
• Republican/Independent: William H. Slifkin*
• Republican/Independent: John L. Dietter*
• CT Tea Party: Salvatore A. Maniscalo
• CT Tea Party: George A. Gaylord, Jr.

Board of Education (vote for any five)

• Democrat/Working Families: Lisa M. Johnson
• Democrat/Working Families: Robin A. Renner*
• Democrat: Robert Rogers
• Democrat/Working Families: Janice L. Chrzescijanek*
• Republican/Independent: Bryan Terzian
• Republican/Independent: Kristen M. Lacey*
• Republican/Independent: Scott Anthony Clayton*
• Republican/Independent: S. Lawrence Craybas*
• Republican/Independent: William I. Duff*
• CT Tea Party: Kevin J. Gallagher

Board of Education To Fill Vacancy for Two-Year Term (vote for any two)

• Democrat/Working Families: Ted Stevenson
• Democrat: Janet Cosgrove
• Republican/Independent: Beth A. Gorry
• Republican/Independent: Elizabeth A. Frey

Board of Assessment Appeals (vote for any two)

• Democrat/Working Families: Robert F. Pitt, Jr.
• Democrat: Steven DeMoura
• Republican/Independent: Alfred J. Bernard
• Republican/Independent: Robert Fand
• CT Tea Party: Clinton A. Monroe, Jr.

Planning & Zoning Commission (vote for any four)

• Democrat: Donald W. Brown
• Democrat: Diana Carlino
• Democrat: Dick Shannon*
• Democrat: Keith Watson
• Republican/Independent: Earle Finch*
• Republican/Independent: John Lennon*
• Republican/Independent: Henry Karl, Jr.
• Republican/Independent: Robert J. Legnard*

Planning & Zoning Commission Alternate (vote for any two)

• Democrat: Louis F. Valenti*
• Democrat/Working Families: Sandi Richards Forman
• Republican/Independent: Nicholas F. Hoffman
• Republican/Independent: Stanley L. Weston

Zoning Board of Appeals (vote for any two)

• Democrat: Justin E. Hurgin*
• Democrat/Working Families: Nicholas W. Vitti, Jr.
• Republican/Independent: John F. Hawkins*
• Republican/Independent: Melanie Ryan

Zoning Board of Appeals Alternate (vote for any two)

• Democrat: Gary F. Passineau
• Democrat/Working Families: Jennifer Davidson
• Republican/Independent: Susan J. Catino
• Republican/Independent: Susan M. Dolan*

Inland Wetlands Commission (vote for any two)

• Democrat: Patrick Perrefort*
• Democrat/Working Families: Don Goodrich*
• Republican/Independent: Margarita Dietter
• Republican/Independent: Suzanne M. Fand

Inland Wetlands Commission Alternate

• Democrat: Robert C. Wallace
• Republican/Independent: Daniel W. O'Grady*

Police Commission (vote for any two)

• Democrat: Tony Fernandes
• Democrat: Christopher McCollam*
• Republican/Independent: Peter Sefsik, Sr.
• Republican/Independent: Michael Duff
• CT Tea Party: Tulio J. Belardinelli