Westport voters made history tonight.
With all 9 RTM districts reporting — but absentee ballots still not counted — it appeared that Democratic candidates won their races, by wide margins.
It is unlikely that absentee ballots will change any race.
But the biggest headline belongs to Jill Dillon, a write-in candidate for the Board of Education. Though her 4,939 votes trailed the Democratic incumbents, chair Lee Goldstein (5,707) and Neil Phillips (5,684), she swamped Republicans Jamie Fitzgerald (1,961) and Camilo Riano (1,830).
Dillon — an unaffiliated voter — ran to the left of the hard-right Republicans. By Town Charter, one political party can have no more than 4 seats on the 7-seat Board of Ed.
Goldstein and Phillips return to the BOE, joining Democrats Kevin Christie and Christina Torres, who were not up for re-election.
Dillon joins them, along with Republicans Robert Harrington, Liz Heyer and Dorie Hordon, all of whom are also in the middle of their 4-year terms.
Harrington took the unusual step of speaking out against Fitzgerald and Riano.
Meanwhile, Board of Ed vice chair Heyer was one of 4 members — out of 5 candidates — elected to the Board of Finance.
Danielle Dobin — current Planning & Zoning Commission chair — led all Finance candidates, with 5,456 votes. Fellow Democrat Jeffrey Hammer, an incumbent, was second, with 5,363.
Republicans Heyer (2,991) and Rich Hightower (2,854) also won Board of Finance seats. Republican Perry Winter — a current member — was not re-elected.
The Finance Board remains in Democratic hands.
So does the Planning & Zoning Commission. Paul Lebowitz — the only Democrat on the ballot — led all candidates with 5,283 votes.
Also elected were Republican newcomer (though a longtime Westporter) Michael Calise (2,916), and current members Amie Tesler (2,760) and Patrizia Zucaro (2,693).
Alternate John Bolton (2,490) and Coalition for Westport candidate Joseph Strickland (1,422) were not elected.
A vacancy will occur when Dobin leaves the P&Z, to take her Board of Finance seat.
There were 2 contests in which every candidate won.
Republican incumbent Joseph Sledge (3,173) was re-elected to the Board of Assessment Appeals.
All 3 incumbents were re-elected to the Zoning Board of Appeals: Democrat James Ezzes (5,346), and Republicans Liz Wong (3,262) and Michelle Hopson (3,119).
Representative Town Meeting results will be announced later.
