[UPDATED] Election Day 2012: North Haven

UPDATE at 2:45 p.m.

With the race at long last in the hands of the voters, voter turnout in North Haven appeared strong. 

Republican Registrar of Voters Laurie Brangi said that turnout in 2008 had reached 82 percent. 

"We're hoping to see something similar to that," she said today.  

In North Haven, registered Democrats edge out Republicans by a total of 3,824 to 3,780. Unaffiliated voters outnumber both parties with a total of 7,983. 

Sixty-two other voters bring the total of registered voters in North Haven to 15,649.  

United Illuminating reported at Monday midnight that the rate of power restoration in North Haven was high — 22 customers lacked power out of nearly 11,000 customers served. 

Still, Abby York manned a Hurricane Sandy Relief table at the Montowese Elementary School polling place.

"They're good,"  she said of the donations she had received. York, who is a student at North Haven High School, said her mother Rosemary York had organized the sale. 

"I think they made it a point to get all the polling places on for the election," said Chris Fletcher, the administrative assistant to state senator Len Fasano (R-34), as he stood in the morning cold.  

Speaking from the polling place at the Recreation Center downtown, moderator Joy Gillen said that voter turnout was "much better than it's been in a long time. Good. Very good," she said of the numbers who were coming out to vote.

Elaine LaVelle, moderator at the Montowese Elementary School polling place, had termed early voting "pretty brisk.". 

Said LaVelle shortly after 1 p.m.: "We're still seeing steady traffic. We expect more people at dinnertime."  

Brangi, who said the Registrars of Voters checked each of the districts every hour, reported that voting was proceeding smoothly. The one o'clock calls  produced evidence that voting remained strong, although perhaps not record-setting.   

"So far, townwide it's 6,340 voters.  It's 41 percent of the voting population.  It's lower than last time," said Deborah Volain, Republican Deputy Registrar of Voters shortly after 1 p.m. " Last federal election at this time, we were at 46 percent." 

Volain, who had been at Town Hall since 5 a.m., said the busiest time at the polling places is usually between 5 and 6:30 p.m. 

"That seems to be the pattern," she said.  She noted that absentee ballots will not be counted until after the mail delivery at 2 p.m.  

And if the seats of the phone banks at candidate Linda McMahon's state senate headquarters remained largely unfilled, that calm said nothing of the enthusium that seemed to prevail at the polls.  

"I think people are excited. It's a beautiful day," Registrar of Voters Brangi said.

ORIGINAL STORY (Posted at 5:45 a.m.)

Good morning, and welcome to Election Day 2012!

Today, North Haven residents go to the polls to choose a president, a U.S. Senator, a U.S. Representative from the 3rd District, a state Senator from the 34th District and a state Representative from the 87th District.

See below for information on where to go to cast your ballot and the list of candidates. We've also included how North Haven voted in 2008, the year of the last presidential election, and in 2010, the last mid-term election.

Read it over, then visit your local polling station between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. to make your voice heard! And be sure to check back with North Haven Patch for updates throughout the day, including the announcement of the winners as soon as votes are tallied.

North Haven Polling Stations

• District #1: Mildred Wakeley Recreation Center, 5 Linsley Street
• District #2: Montowese Elementary School, 145 Fitch Street
• District #3 & #3-11: Ridge Road Elementary School, 1341 Ridge Road
• District #4: Green Acres Elementary School, 146 Upper State Street
• District #5: Clintonville Elementary School, 456 Clintonville Road

How North Haven Voted in 2008 (82% Turnout)

(D=Democrat; R=Republican; G=Green; I=Independent; WF=Working Families; CL=Connecticut for Lieberman)

PRESIDENT

• Obama-Biden (D) — 6,982 votes
• McCain-Palin (R) — 6,298 votes

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 3rd DISTRICT

• Rosa DeLauro (D) — 7,192 votes
• Bo Itshaky (R) — 2.169 votes

34th SENATE DISTRICT

• No nomination (D) — 0 votes
• Leonard Fasano (R) — 5,184 votes

87th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

• Steve Fontana (D) — 7,011 votes
• Veronica H. Kivela (R) — 4,836 votes

How North Haven Voted in 2010 (66% Turnout)

(D=Democrat; R=Republican; G=Green; I=Independent; WF=Working Families; CL=Connecticut for Lieberman; SA=Socialist Action)

U.S. SENATE

• Blumenthal (D) — 5,110 votes
• McMahon (R) — 4,673 votes

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 3rd DISTRICT

• Rosa DeLauro (D) — 5,023 votes
• Jerry Labriola, Jr. (R) — 2,805 votes

34th SENATE DISTRICT

• No nomination (D) — 0 votes
• Leonard A Fasano (R) — 6,755 votes

87th ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

• Steve Fontana (D) — 4,417 votes
• Dave Yaccarino (R) — 5,486 votes

......................