UPDATE: Paul Beats Stratford DTC-Endorsed Daponte in Party Primary

Updated Tuesday 10:40 p.m.

Stratford Democrats opted for the candidate not endorsed by the town's Democratic Town Committee to represent them as mayor in the municipal election this November against incumbent Republican John A. Harkins.

Joe Paul beat the DTC-endorsed Beth Daponte in a city-wide party primary Tuesday by a 156-vote margin. Paul received 911 votes to Daponte's 755, according to Democratic Registrar of Voters Rick Marcone.

In July, the Stratford DTC nominated Daponte as its candidate to run for mayor by a 38 to 27 vote, but Paul successfully petitioned to force the party primary held Tuesday.

Additionally, Stratford Democrats chose Stephanie Philips as their candidate for Third District Town Council over challenger Michael Singh, 199 to 164, Marcone said.

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Our original report follows.

Stratford Democrats Pick Their Mayoral Candidate Today

It’s between Beth Daponte and Joe Paul. Polls are open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

(Posted Tuesday morning)

Registered Stratford Democrats take to the polls today to elect a mayoral candidate to face incumbent Republican John A. Harkins in the municipal election this November.

It’s between retired bank executive Joe Paul and former United Nations evaluator and college professor Beth Daponte.

Paul, who serves on the town’s planning commission, says he “can draw on 39 years experience as a senior executive in the banking industry.”

“I played a leadership role in implementing products and services that made local, state and federal government more efficient,” Paul wrote in a recent letter to the editor. “I have the necessary management skills and fiscal discipline to move us in a positive direction toward growth and prosperity.”

Daponte, who won the Stratford Democratic Town Committee's nomination over Paul, says she’ll bring to the mayor’s office a “can-do attitude.” Formerly of Pittsburgh, Daponte points to that city’s “strategy” as one she would try to implement in Stratford.

“Pittsburgh’s strategy had faith that the redevelopment of downtown and neighborhoods and the provision of ‘amenities’ to attract creative workers would result in the city’s transformation,” she wrote in a recent letter to the editor. “Vision, Action and Cooperation were key.”

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are unsure where to go, the town website provides a voter registration lookup. A list of the voting locations for the primary has also been included below.

There is also a Democratic primary today for Third District Town Council between Stephanie Philips and Michael Singh.

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Council District 1 – Lordship School, 254 Crown St. (06615)

Council District 2 – Stratford High School, 45 North Parade (06615)

Council District 3 – Johnson House, 719 Birdseye St. (06615)

Council District 4 – Franklin School, 1895 Barnum Ave. (06615)

Council District 5 – Nichols School, 396 Nichols Ave. (06614)

Council District 6 – Wooster Junior High, 150 Lincoln St. (06614)

Council District 7 – Wilcoxson School, 600 Wilcoxson Ave. (06614)

Council District 8 – Chapel Street School, 380 Chapel St. (06614)

Council District 9 – Bunnell High School, 1 Bulldog Boulevard (06614)

Council District 10 – Second Hill Lane, 65 Second Hill Lane (06614)

Note: The Nichols School polling station is located in an adjacent district (6)