Danbury Public Schools elections (2013)
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Method of election Elections What was at stake? Key deadlines Additional elections External links References |
Danbury Public Schools |
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Five seats on the Danbury Board of Education were up for election on November 5, 2013. Eight candidates, including five Republican candidates and three Democratic candidates, sought election to the board. Eileen Alberts, Michael Ferguson, Ralph Pietrafesa, Kathleen Molinaro and Richard Jannelli defeated Gary Falkenthal, Charles Alpuche and Mayra Olavarria to win five at-large seats.
About the district
- See also: Danbury Public Schools, Connecticut
The Town of Danbury is located in the northern half of Fairfield County, which is situated in southwestern Connecticut. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Danbury was 80,898.[1]
Demographics
Danbury underperformed the state average for higher education achievement as measured by the 2010 U.S. Census. The percentage of Danbury residents over 25 years old with bachelor's degrees (31.0%) fell below the state average (36.2%). The median household income in Danbury was $66,281 while the state median income was $69,519. The U.S. Census also found that the poverty rate in Danbury was 10.1% while the state rate was 10.0%.[1]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Method of board member selection
The Danbury Board of Education consists of 11 members elected at-large to four-year terms. The Democratic and Republican Party Town Committees in Danbury endorsed candidates in July 2013 for the board elections. Five seats were up for election on November 5, 2013 and six seats will be on the ballot on November 3, 2015.
As of 2013, state law requires a minimum of three seats to be held by minority parties following each election.[3] The composition of the board heading into the November 2013 election was six Republicans and five Democrats.[4] On November 5, 2013, voters were able to choose any three candidates on the ballot regardless of party. The five candidates who received the most votes won election to the board.
Elections
2013
Candidates
The candidates on the November 5, 2013 ballot were:
Richard Jannelli
- Incumbent
- Graduate, City College of New York
- Chief financial officer, Gym Source
- Incumbent
- Retired
Mayra Olavarria
Eileen Alberts
- Incumbent
- Director, Irish Cultural Center
Charles Alpuche
Gary Falkenthal
- Incumbent
- Owner, Falcon Valley Realty
- Veteran, U.S. Navy
Michael Ferguson
Ralph Pietrafesa
Election results
| Danbury Public Schools, General Election, 4-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Eileen Alberts Incumbent |
15.8% | 6,834 | |
| Republican | Michael Ferguson |
14.2% | 6,162 | |
| Republican | Ralph Pietrafesa |
13.5% | 5,869 | |
| Democratic | Kathleen Molinaro Incumbent |
12.9% | 5,593 | |
| Republican | Gary Falkenthal Incumbent | 11.7% | 5,061 | |
| Democratic | Richard Jannelli Incumbent |
11.2% | 4,851 | |
| Republican | Charles Alpuche | 10.7% | 4,624 | |
| Democratic | Mayra Olavarria | 10.1% | 4,376 | |
| Total Votes | 43,370 | |||
| Source: Connecticut Secretary of State, "Municipal Elections - November 5, 2013," accessed December 17, 2013 | ||||
Forums
The Danbury Citywide PTO and Danbury Children First hosted a candidate forum at the Broadview Middle School Auditorium on October 16, 2013.[5]
Campaign finance
No contributions or expenditures were reported during the election, according to the Connecticut State Elections Enforcement Commission.
What was at stake?
Five seats were at stake. Incumbents Eileen Alberts (R), Gary Falkenthal (R), Richard Jannelli (D) and Kathleen Molinaro (R) were on the ballot. Only Falkenthal lost his re-election bid. The Danbury Republican Town Committee endorsed a slate of five candidates in 2013 while the Democratic Town Committee endorsed three candidates.
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Danbury Board of Education election in 2013:[6]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| July 23, 2013 | Last day for political party endorsements of candidates by town caucus or convention |
| July 24, 2013 | Nominating petitions available for primary |
| August 7, 2013 | Last day to file nominating petitions for primary |
| September 10, 2013 | Primary day |
| October 10, 2013 | First campaign finance filing date following primary election |
| October 29, 2013 | Last campaign finance filing filing date prior to general election |
| November 5, 2013 | Election day |
| December 5, 2013 | Certification of election results by county |
Additional elections on the ballot
The Danbury Public Schools elections shared the ballot with other local measures. Residents of Danbury cast ballots for mayor, town clerk, three constables and seats on the Common Council and Zoning Board.
See also
- School board elections review: Voters opt for experience over new blood in nation's largest school districts
- School board election wrap-up: Incumbents re-elected overwhelmingly in November 5 elections
- Connecticut
- List of school board elections in 2013
- Danbury Public Schools, Connecticut
- Fairfield County, Connecticut ballot measures
External links
- District page
- City of Danbury
- Connecticut Secretary of State
- Danbury Democratic Town Committee
- Danbury Republican Town Committee
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 U.S. Census, "Quick Facts: Danbury," accessed January 14, 2014
- ↑ Connecticut Secretary of State, "Election Results," accessed October 14, 2013
- ↑ Connecticut General Assembly, "Minority Representation Requirements," accessed October 7, 2013
- ↑ Danbury Public Schools, "Board of Education," accessed October 14, 2013
- ↑ Danbury Daily Voice, "Danbury School Board Candidates To Field Questions At Community Forum," October 14, 2013
- ↑ Connecticut Office of Government Accountability, "November Municipal Candidate Committees Calendar," accessed October 14, 2013
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