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UPDATE: 7:15 p.m.

By 5 p.m. at Springdale School, the District 17 polling place, the stream of voters grew steadier. A serpentine line bubbled up at the precinct's entrance, studded with parents and their children waiting in line to vote.

Just before the after-work crowd descended, turnout there looked more robust, with 231 voters casting a ballot, according to the site's moderators.

With her infant daughter perched on her hip, Katherine Velez emerged from the double doors after casting a vote for Simmons. The state representative caught Velez's attention because of her campaign promise to rebuild the faltering infrastructure at Stamford Public Schools.

"The mayor has been in office for years now," Velez said. In her mind, Martin had failed to make meaningful progress in the schools, and his opponent was exactly the change the city needed, she said.

On the other hand, Celia Didier was more concerned about the infrastructure on her street in Springdale. She wants to see the roads paved and speed bumps installed and has been on high alert after hearing about a spate of carjackings in the neighborhood.

"I feel like I need my voice heard," she said, but fate foiled that decree before she could formally back Mayor Martin for his third term. She wasn't showing up in the voter rolls. Didier would have to head to the city's Registrar of Voters if she wanted to partake in this year's polling.

Though both candidates have pledged to maintain Stamford's momentum and remedy the ills of administrations past, Simmons voter Tim Nash said he understood that both of the day's contenders were fundamentally similar candidates.

The real difference, he suggested, lay in their experiences.

"It's a classic case of traditional politics versus the progressive way of thinking," Nash quipped before heading into the polls.

UPDATE: 6:50 p.m.

In District 19 around 5 p.m., the Democratic candidates for the Board of Representatives chatted with voters outside the Long Ridge Fire Companys station on Old Long Ridge Road. The Stamford Democratic City Committee-endorsed candidates, Don Mays and John Pelliccia, were joined by current District 19 Rep. Bob Lion, who decided not to run for reelection this year, and District 13 Rep. Eric Morson.

I think the turnout is probably a little more than I expected, Mays said. Having it be a nice day is very, very helpful. For us, I think were doing pretty well. Its really hard to tell.

Pelliccia said he was feeling optimistic after all their conversations with voters.

Their opponents, Jennifer Matheny and Pina Basone, were also upbeat.

I think that all our efforts really paid off, Basone said.

We made some great connections when we knocked (on) doors, and it showed here today, Matheny said. We had so many people say, I remember you. We talked about this. We talked about that.

North Stamford resident Aaron Chisena said he voted for Mays and Pelliccia for the Board of Representatives, and Simmons for mayor.

Ive lived in Stamford for about eight years, and I think that Stamford kind of needs a change and some new blood, Chisena said.

Also at the polling location was Simmons father, Steve, who held up a campaign sign for his daughter and greeted voters.

Ron Malloy, Stamfords Democratic registrar of voters, said 402 people had voted at the polling spot as of 6 p.m. the most of any district so far.

UPDATE:6:25 p.m.

Just before 4 p.m., poll moderator Cynthia Pulley admitted it had been a slow day at the District Eight polls, housed at the Old Rogers School. Though the afternoon rush, with its reliable influx of voters, had yet to strike, 98 voters had cast their ballots at Pulley's location.

After nine years working every election in Stamford, Pulley, 40, said she understood the ebbs and flows of the day well. There was always a morning crowd and a lunch crowd before the afternoon rush. The "last minuters" showed up just before polls closed, all scrambling to fill out their ballots before it became too late.

"People turn out for the presidential elections," she said, "but I feel like this is more important."

On a grassy patch in the parking lot outside of the school, now home to Domus Kids, Kyle Houser stood with a bright blue "Caroline Simmons for Mayor" sign. All around him, placards heralded both Democratic candidates, Simmons and incumbent Mayor David Martin.

Regardless, he'd come specifically on behalf of the Stamford Professional Fire Fighters Association. The union of 250 firefighters threw its support behind Simmons early on in the campaign.

"Her voting record on fire issues is impeccable," Houser, 39, said. The union advocates for growing the fire department to meet the demands of a growing Stamford and is confident that Simmons could help them achieve their goal.

Houser pointed out that, even though Stamford is now the second biggest city in the state, it has the "fourth-largest full-time fire force," which he said could put residents at risk.

He added: "Weve seen an effort to grow the city... but not its public safety."

UPDATE: 11:15 a.m.

Incumbent city Reps. Gloria DePina and Lila Wallace stood by the entrance of the District 5 voting location at the Yerwood Center early Tuesday morning as challengers Bonnie Kim Campbell and Melinda Punkin Baxter beckoned voters from nearby.

District 5 is a hotly contested battleground with its three primary races that will decide two Democratic candidate slots for the Board of Representatives and one for the Democratic mayoral candidate.

Despite those races, moderator Darwin Davis said as of 9:45 a.m. less than 100 voters had turned out to cast their ballots.

Id say weve had a consistent flow of voters though, Davis said.

Lafayette Bryant, 41, said he came to the polls Tuesday morning to vote for DePina. DePina, he said, has been a vocal advocate for the Black community in the West Side.

Were looking for a change in the Stamford community with the rise of homelessness, and we definitely want to address some of the things that are happening with city jobs. I feel like there is a lot of discrimination, Bryant said.

While there, Bryant said he cast a vote for incumbent Mayor David Martin as well.

Stefanie Markham said she was driven to vote on Tuesday because she felt Stamford is in need some new blood.

Markham, whose family has lived in the city for decades, said she felt the incumbent Democrats werent doing enough to address the issues facing longtime Stamford residents, so she voted for Campbell, Baxter and state Rep. Caroline Simmons for mayor.

There are high rises going up everywhere, the rents are skyrocketing, theres not enough affordable housing and (Martin) isnt really doing anything to help us, Markham said.

Original story:

STAMFORD Its Primary Day for the citys Democrats, who will be choosing the candidate who they think has the best chance of beating former Major League Baseball manager Bobby Valentine in the Stamford mayoral election in November.

Does incumbent Mayor David Martin or state Rep. Caroline Simmons have the better shot for a Democrat to remain at the helm of the city and hold off a challenge by Valentine, who is running as an unaffiliated candidate?

After Simmons won the endorsement of the Democratic City Committee in a tight vote this summer, Martin submitted enough signatures from registered Democrats to force a primary election. Martin was first elected mayor in 2013.

Besides the mayoral race, city Democrats in two districts are also deciding who to back in runs for the Board of Representatives.

Bonnie Kim Campbell and Melinda Punkin Baxter are challenging incumbent Reps. Gloria DePina and Lila Wallace in District 5.

In District 19, Jennifer Matheny and Pina Basone are running against DCC-endorsed candidates Don Mays and John Pelliccia. The current representatives of the district, Bob Lion and Raven Matherne, decided not to seek reelection this year.

There are about 31,300 registered Democrats in Stamford, according to the registrars of voters. There are about 13,400 registered Republicans and 27,500 unaffiliated voters in the city.

Only registered Democrats can vote in the primary. There is no same-day registration.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. There are 20 polling locations across the city. Voters can find their polling place at http://www.stamfordct.gov.

Those who have applied for and received absentee ballots have until 8 p.m. Tuesday to drop them off at a ballot box in the parking garage of the Stamford Government Center, 888 Washington Blvd., or at a box outside the Harry Bennett library, 115 Vine Road. Voters were able to use COVID-19 as a reason for seeking an absentee ballot.

For those who have mailed in their absentee ballots, the town clerks office must receive them on Election Day at the latest or else they wont be counted.

Staff writer Brianna Gurciullo contributed to this report.

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Martin or Simmons? Democrats head to the polls for primary in Stamford mayoral race - The Advocate