Fairfield voters deliver decisive margin in First Selectman race
Strong turnout and a clear margin in a winter special election give the incoming First Selectman a distinct mandate as the town heads into budget season.
Why it matters:
Both the level of voter participation and the size of the victory illuminate how residents are thinking about leadership and fiscal priorities at a consequential moment for local government.
Fairfield’s special election for First Selectperson on Feb. 3, 2026, drew 17,090 ballots, yielding an estimated turnout of about 41.5% of the 41,219 registered voters on the lists this cycle. That turnout is unusually robust for a special election, which typically attracts significantly lower participation than a general municipal election.
Final results showed Christine Vitale receiving 9,505 votes (55.6%), compared with 7,543 votes (44.1%) for Tony Hwang. Write-ins accounted for 42 ballots (0.2%). The outcome represents a 1,962-vote margin, or about 11.5 percentage points, a spread that signals clear voter preference.
For comparison, the 2023 general municipal election for First Selectman in Fairfield was far narrower. That November contest saw Bill Gerber win by a slim margin — 8,966 votes to 8,924 for incumbent Brenda Kupchick — a difference of just 42 votes out of nearly 18,000 cast, a margin of roughly 0.2 percentage points in a race that typically draws turnout in the low-30% range of registered voters.
Turnout in general municipal elections across Connecticut in 2023 averaged about 33.2–36.4% of registered voters, lower than the special election’s raw turnout of approximately 41.5%. Across towns statewide, local election turnout varies widely, but inclusion of a high-profile race often drives participation above baseline levels.
The contrasting margins — a 0.2-point race in 2023 vs. an 11.5-point spread in 2026 — and the strong participation in a special election suggest that voters were highly engaged and motivated by issues or leadership preferences specific to this cycle.
Vitale enters the post with executive experience in municipal government, having served as First Selectperson during a transition period after the death of her predecessor in 2025. Her campaign emphasized continuity, administrative stability, and steady oversight of town operations.
Hwang brought a contrasting profile rooted in legislative experience, including more than a decade representing Fairfield in the state legislature. Supporters argued that his broader policy experience and statewide connections could benefit the town, especially around complex issues such as housing policy and state–local fiscal coordination. Despite those credentials, voters favored Vitale’s local administrative record.
The election’s timing heightens its impact. Vitale now assumes leadership just weeks before the release of the FY2027 budget, following a townwide property revaluation that shifted assessed values unevenly. The coming months will test how campaign distinctions translate into spending choices, communication with residents, and coordination with the Board of Finance and the Representative Town Meeting.
Taken together, the 41.5% turnout and the nearly 2,000-vote margin — compared with a razor-thin 2023 margin — leave little ambiguity about the 2026 result. Voters delivered a clear decision on leadership at a critical moment for the community.
Sources: Town of Fairfield; local reporting.
