Laura Ospina, Contributing Photographer
The News calls races in the Democratic primaries for Ward 22 and mayor
With results returned from 29 of New Haven’s 30 wards, the News can project that incumbent mayor Justin Elicker has won the Democratic nomination over Liam Brennan. As of 8:14 p.m., Elicker had netted 5,088 votes, with Brennan garnering 2,164.
In Ward 22, the News projects as of 8:07 p.m. that incumbent alder Jeanette Morrison has won the Democratic primary over challenger Anthony Geritano ’20. Morrison won the machine vote— there are absentee ballots outstanding — 186-34 with five blank ballots.
Turnout is down from the 2019 mayoral primary, the last one contested in New Haven. In that election, Elicker defeated Toni Harp 7,198-5150. Morrison had backed Elicker and appeared with him at a rally on Saturday.
Barring something unforeseen, Morrison should win re-election in the heavily Democratic ward in November, as should Elicker in the citywide race.
Read the News’ live elections coverage below.
Today is Democratic primary day in New Haven, with polls open across the city from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. — there are several key primaries in the city, which the News has been following.
The most closely watched race is the mayoral primary, which has two-term incumbent Justin Elicker facing off against former Hartford Inspector General Liam Brennan.
Elicker and Brennan have sparred in recent meetings, with the incumbent highlighting his experience while the challenger touts his fresh vision for the city. A major issue in the election has been economic policy, the mayor’s housing policy and the candidates recently discussed Yale-New Haven relations at a Law School event.
The mayoral race also saw two Democratic challengers — former alder Shafiq Abdussabur and former McKinsey executive Tom Goldenberg — fail to turn in enough valid signatures to make the primary ballot.
Abdussabur challenged the decision in court, lost his challenge and dropped out of the race. Goldenberg will appear on the Republican ballot line in November.
The winner of the mayoral primary — Elicker or Brennan — will most likely be a strong favorite in November in the deeply Democratic city. If Elicker loses the primary, however, he might be able to mount a comeback on the Working Families Party ballot line.
Aside from the mayoral race there are primaries in six aldermanic wards across the city. The News has covered two: in Ward 15, where incumbent Ernie Santiago failed to win the party endorsement and had to petition his way onto the ballot, and in Ward 22, which encompasses six of Yale’s residential colleges.
Read all of the News’s previous coverage of the elections here.
Yale students living on Old Campus or in Jonathan Edwards, Branford, Saybrook, Davenport, Pierson, Berkeley or Grace Hopper colleges live in Ward 1 and can vote at 133 Elm Street.
Students living in Morse, Ezra Stiles, Benjamin Franklin, Pauli Muarry, Silliman or Timothy Dwight colleges live in Ward 22 and can vote at 55 Foote Street.
Students who live off campus can find their polling location here. Polls close at 8 p.m.
Live updates from News staffers
9:20 p.m.
With all wards reporting, incumbent mayor Justin Elicker defeats Liam Brennan in a landslide vote total: 5,176-2,176. There are still absentee ballots outstanding.
8:14 p.m.
With results returned from 29 of New Haven’s 30 wards, the News can project that incumbent mayor Justin Elicker has won the Democratic nomination over Liam Brennan.
Elicker is currently leading with 70.16 percent of the vote, while Brennan has 29.84 percent. There are absentee ballots outstanding but not enough to change the results of the election. As of now, Elicker has netted 5,088 votes, with Brennan garnering 2,164.
Turnout is dramatically down from the 2019 mayoral primary, the last one contested in New Haven. In that election, Elicker defeated Toni Harp 7198-5150.
8:07 p.m.
In Ward 22, the News projects that incumbent alder Jeanette Morrison has won the Democratic primary over challenger Anthony Geritano ’20. Morrison won the machine vote— there are absentee ballots outstanding — 186-34 with five blank ballots.
Barring something unforeseen, Morrison should win reelection in the heavily Democratic ward in November.
Incumbent mayor Justin Elicker also won the ward over challenger Liam Brennan by a margin of 177-39 with nine ballots left blank. Morrison had backed Elicker and appeared with him at a rally on Saturday.
8:05 p.m.
In Ward 1, Elicker significantly outpaces Brennan, winning 35 votes to his challenger’s 10. No ballots were left blank.
Turnout fell dramatically from 2019, when Elicker — then a challenger to incumbent mayor Toni Harp — won the ward 90-19.
8:00 p.m.
Polls are now closed across the city. Results should be available in the next hour for alder races across New Haven as well as for the Democratic primary for mayor.
7:36 p.m.
In Ward 15 — where incumbent alder Ernie Santiago, who did not secure the party endorsement is being challenged by Frank Redente, Jr. — turnout is at 311 voters. In 2019, the last time there was a competitive mayoral primary in New Haven, there were 265 voters.
– Mia Cortès Castro
6:30 p.m.
In the last competitive mayoral primary in 2019, turnout in Ward 1 totaled 119 voters. With 90 minutes until the polls close tonight, approximately 40 people have voted.
– Yurii Stasiuk
6:10 p.m.
At Ward 1, there is no primary for the Alder seat, as Kiana Flores ’25 is running uncontested in the general election in November, so people voted only in the mayoral primary. The turnout has been low so far.
According to Julian Daniel ’24, a campaign worker with Elicker’s campaign has been flyering since polls opened, around 40 people have voted throughout the day.
In an hour and a half outside the voting center at 133 Elm Street, the News recorded five people, including one Yale student, coming in to vote.
New Haven resident Yvonne Byrd-Griffin told the News she voted for Elicker as she “sees the changes he has done,” and she would love to give him an opportunity to continue his work.
Roy Kohavi ’26 did not disclose whom he voted for. He said that he is invested in local politics and especially cares about the lack of affordable housing, education, and complicated Yale-New Haven relationships. Kohavi expressed the hope that today’s primary will become a step towards a better New Haven.
– Yurii Stasiuk
6:03 p.m.
In Ward 22, former middle school teacher Melodie Thigpen voted for Liam Brennan and Anthony Geritano, with hopes that a new administration might successfully enforce noise ordinances near her home on Lake Place. Thigpen lives near many Yale students and said her past complaints regarding loud parties and excessive trash have not resulted in any substantive action.
“It seems like Yale is protected. The students are very privileged and they act like it,” Thigpen said.
– Natasha Khazzam and Laura Ospina
5:58 p.m.
New ward lines were adopted in May 2022 to be implemented on Jan. 1, 2024, after maps were redrawn following the 2020 census. The Board of Alders wanted today’s primaries to use the new set of lines and sought to implement them on Aug. 7. However, it is illegal to change ward lines within 90 days of an election, so the Secretary of State decided not to enforce the change. This led to even more confusion, leading the community to ultimately adopt the new set of lines on Sept. 7 — a mere 5 days before primaries.
– Natasha Khazzam
5:57 p.m.
Willia Grant, a member of the University’s custodial staff, voted Elicker for mayor and Jeanette Morrison for Ward 22 alder. “She’s good with the community,” Grant said.
– Natasha Khazzam and Laura Ospina
5:55 p.m.
Eva Heater, a Ward 22 resident who works at the Yale Music Library, supported Elicker in today’s election because she believes “he’s done a good job so far. Better than past candidates.”
Heater discussed Elicker’s policies towards parking enforcement, explaining that in the past, she had to pay a $600 parking ticket on street sweeping days.
“He made parking enforcement not predatory. I’ve lived here 34 years and it’s a big quality of life issue,” Heater said.
Heater also commented on the strength of Elicker’s communication, which she explained is “really good — almost to the point of being too good.”
Phil Gorski, a Ward 22 resident and Yale professor, also voted for Elicker in today’s primaries.
“I’m happy with the job that he’s done through a difficult time … COVID dealt a pretty tough hand,” he said. Gorski said he voted Jeanette Morrison for Ward 22 alder for “similar reasons.”
– Natasha Khazzam and Laura Ospina
4:50 p.m.
In Ward 22, turnout has been “really low,” according to poll moderator Maurice Douglass.
As of 4:50 p.m., there have been 154 votes, but Douglas speculated that more might show up after the workday. The ward has 841 eligible voters, including University President Peter Salovey and six residential colleges of undergraduates.
Douglas also reported people getting turned away because they weren’t registered Democrats. Today’s primary is closed, meaning only registered Democrats can participate.
– Natasha Khazzam and Laura Ospina