2023 Election Results

2023 Municipal Election Results: Some Old Hands, Some New Faces

 On November 7^th, less than 50% of registered voters turned out to vote in the municipal elections.  Currently, there are a total of 2,338 eligible voters in Goshen, according to Registrar Nanci Howard. Though most seats were uncontested a total of 1070 voters participated, including 3 new same-day Election Day registrants.

Unopposed

At the top of the ballot, all 3 Selectman candidates ran unopposed and as a result Todd Carusillo will return for a second term as 1^st Selectman, Democratic Selectman Dexter Kinsella will serve a 6th term, and Republican newcomer Scott Olson will join the Board, replacing the retiring Mark Harris.

Town Clerk Barbara Breor and Town Treasurer Matthew Sweet also ran unopposed and will accordingly return for another term. Breor was the top vote-getter of the day, receiving 832 votes. In another unopposed race, Democrat Jerry Abrahams was elected as an Alternate on the Planning and Zoning Commission, receiving 524 votes, while 541 voters left their ballots blank, for this position, choosing not to vote for the only listed candidate. Republican Seth Breakell was elected as an Alternate Fire Commissioner with 766 votes.

Board of Finance

Board of Finance candidates Allan Walker, Sr., a long-serving Republican incumbent, and Democratic newcomer Paul Collins, who were the only candidates listed on the ballot, withstood a late write-in campaign challenge by Toby Geiger, filling the two seats that were up for election this cycle. Geiger, a Democrat who entered the process too late to primary the caucus-nominated Collins, ran as a long-time Goshen resident who believes he could better serve the town than the relative newcomer Collins. The write-ins totaled just 77 votes as opposed to 463 for Collins and 693 for Walker.

Planning & Zoning Commission

Perhaps the most closely watched contest of this cycle was the race between the four candidates competing to fill three seats on the Planning and Zoning Commission. The field was comprised of three Republican candidates, including newcomers Jon Carroll and Shilo Garceau and incumbent PZC Alternate Jim Withstandley, while 16-year veteran incumbent Lu-Ann Zbinden was the sole Democratic candidate. In the end, voters chose Carroll and Garceau while narrowly returning Zbinden for another term by a margin of just 9 votes. All candidates, except Mr. Withstandley, had mounted active campaigns that included mailings, yard signs, appearances at Meet and Greet events, posting of platforms and participation in published interviews with The Goshen News.  

To the reported consternation of some town Democrats, Zbinden, who faced the first serious re-election challenge in her long incumbency, ran on a platform closely aligned with those of Republicans Carroll and Garceau. Her campaign literature highlighted her “NO” vote on including the Goshen Housing Plan in the Town’s Plan of Conservation and Development and her opposition to the use of Title 67 funds by private entities.

Vote Tallies:

1st Selectman

Selectman:

Board of Finance

Board of Assessment Appeals

 Planning & Zoning Commission

 Fire Commissioners

 Constables

 Library Director

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Candidate Reactions

1^st Selectman Todd Carusillo texted a statement to The Goshen News shortly after the ballots were counted, stating, in part:

“I am overwhelmed and humbled by the outcome of the election… I’m flabbergasted and so happy for the Town of Goshen and everybody that voted for me. We are going to be moving Goshen in the right direction and keep it positive for everyone and I’m gonna’ keep everything transparent. The public will be involved in everything that we’re doing in town…”

He went on to thank his family and the Town for their support and to acknowledge both the victorious Republican candidates and Democrat Lu-Ann Zbinden.

In a phone call with Dexter Kinsella he stated, “I’d just like to thank the people of Goshen for their continued support, and I pledge to do the best I can to serve everyone in Goshen and to listen to all sides. I’d like to thank Mark Harris for his service, and I look forward to working with Scott Olson. I commend everyone who ran.”

In a statement received the morning after the election from new Selectman Scott Olson, he said: “I have such gratitude for the overwhelming support that I have received in this past election, not just from my party, but from Goshen residents in general. I ran on pertinent issues like honesty, transparency, conflict of interest and most of all, hearing the voice of the Goshen people. Clearly, the voters let us all know they are ready for change and along with Jon and Shilo we are fully prepared to deliver on our promises. The sheer volume of residents who came out to vote yesterday only solidified this notion. Last night was fun but we all understand that beginning right now, there is a lot of work ahead of us.”

In a live statement at Camp Cochipianee, just moments after the results were posted, re-elected PZC candidate Lu-Ann Zbinden said: “I want to thank the people of Goshen for their support, all the people that posted signs for me, voted for me. I thought that it would be a very close election because I thought in the general election the gap would close more. But I am very happy that I came out ahead. I put a lot into it, I’m happy that I did now, and I do thank the people of Goshen for their support.”

Jon Carroll wrote us to say: “First… I’d like to thank you and your staff at Goshen News for what you are doing for our town as well as what you have done to help publicize the campaigns so that the residents of Goshen knew how and when to participate to be sure that they were heard. I am honored to have participated in a race with so many passionate and qualified individuals. I had a feeling from the beginning that since each candidate displayed such enthusiasm, such love for our town; that no matter what the outcome; Goshen would be protected by those that love our town. That’s really what matters in the end. Protecting our town. We can do that best by listening to our citizens, and taking time to make decisions collaboratively, regardless of party affiliation or how long you have lived here. I am proud to be your voice. I cannot express my gratitude for the abundance of support. It is my pledge to serve our community with dignity and integrity.”

1^st Selectman Results in Nearby Towns

Litchfield: 1^st Selectman Denise Raap easily won re-election, defeating her Republican opponent Norman Ambrose Sauer by more than 20 percentage points.

Cornwall: Democratic candidate Gordon M. Ridgeway defeated Republican Kenneth C. Baird by nearly 39 percentage points in the 1^st Selectman race.

Harwinton: Republican 1^st Selectman Michael R. Criss was unopposed.

North Canaan: Republican Brian Ohler defeated Democrat Christian P. Allyn by more than 45 percentage points.

Thomaston: Republican Amy St. Onge defeated Democrat Ken Beausoleil by just under 10 percentage points.

Warren: Gregory LaCava won 100% of the vote, running on both the Democratic and Republican party lines.