By mid-day, turnout in West Hartford was trending along the same path as the 2023 municipal election.

Voting sign at Conard High School, District 5. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

The outside air was blustery on Election Day 2025 in West Hartford, but although the winds were wreaking havoc with campaign signs, the process was smooth sailing inside the town’s polling places as voters cast their ballots for Town Council and Board of Education.

West Hartford, like town’s throughout the state, was using new tabulators for this election, and the machines seemed to be operating without any snags.

“We love them. They’re working like a charm,” said MaryAnne DeNatale, the moderator at Town Hall. At 12:36 p.m., the tabulator, which uses animation to indicate that the ballot is being processed and is then counted, showed that 387 people had voted at that polling location, which is West Hartford’s District 3.

At 12:36 p.m., the tabulator shows that 387 people had voted at West Hartford Town Hall, District 3. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Turnout was steady throughout the morning and into mid-day, West Hartford’s registrars, Elizabeth Rousseau (Democratic registrar) and Beth Kyle (Republican registrar), reported.

According to Rousseau, the turnout was trending virtually the same as for the 2023 municipal election, with roughly 3% overall turnout at 8 a.m., 7% turnout at 10 a.m., and 11% turnout by noon. The voter rolls – prior to adjustment due to same day registration and other updates – indicate 41,411 active voters in West Hartford.

Courtesy of Registrars of Voters Office

In addition, 3,620 (8.7% of the total number of eligible voters) cast their ballots in West Hartford during the early voting period, between Oct. 20 and Nov. 2,. As of the afternoon of Nov. 3, there were 587 absentee ballots that had been returned.

Overall turnout in 2023 was approximately 31.5%.

Voting at Sedgwick Middle School, District 6. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

At Sedgwick Middle School (District 6), which is the town’s largest and busiest polling place, a short line formed when the moderators temporarily shut down the tabulator shortly after 1 p.m. once 1,000 ballots had been cast. Those ballots were grouped together in a batch and placed in a sealed bag, which was then placed inside the sealed area of the tabulator machine.

Head moderator Barbara Leonard said there were no issues with voting at Sedgwick, and positive reaction to the new machines. “I think they’re great,” she said.

Check back with We-Ha.com for further updates, and final results as soon as they are tabulated.

Voting stickers at West Hartford Town Hall. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Poll standing at West Hartford Town Hall, District 3. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

Voting at West Hartford Town Hall, District 3. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

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