Absentee ballots push Miller to victory
STAMFORD — In the end, absentee ballots solidified Rep. Patricia Billie Miller’s lead in a special election for the 27th state Senate District.
A 12-year veteran of the state House of Representatives, Miller secured on Tuesday evening the seat of former state Sen. Carlo Leone, who resigned to join Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration in January.
According to unofficial results, Miller led Republican challenger Joshua Esses by only 454 in-person votes in Stamford by the time polls closed at 8 p.m. She declared victory just after 9 p.m., after Esses called to concede, even though absentee ballots from Stamford remained uncounted.
Miller won the final count of Stamford absentee ballots by an overwhelming
“The 27th District in Stamford and Darien can trust me. We may not agree all the time, but I am going to work hard for you.” State Senator-elect Patricia Billie Miller
majority — bringing in 1,777 additional votes, compared to Esses’s 304. In the end, the senator-elect secured almost 2,000 more votes than her opponent.
The Stamford Registrar of Voters’ office finished counting votes after 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to Deputy Registrar Terry Bivona.
In Darien, the district’s Republican stronghold, both machine and absentee ballots leaned towards Esses, who won with 607 total votes. Miller earned 263.
Across both communities, third party candidate Brian Merlin earned 87 total votes.
While the early results trickled in on Election Day, supporters at the Stamford Democratic City Committee’s headquarters exuded joy. After a day spent at the polls, volunteers sipped margaritas underneath masks while eagerly awaiting the candidate, who arrived just after Stamford DCC Chairman Josh Fedeli reported early results.
During her victory speech, Miller focused on the volunteers and elected officials that helped her during the campaign, but also on the challenges ahead as a senator for two very different communities.
“The 27th District in Stamford and Darien can trust me. We may not agree all the time, but I am going to work hard for you,” she said.
“I’m first and foremost so excited because I can call Pat my state senator,” Lauren Meyer, Miller’s campaign manager, told The Advocate. Meyer served as campaign manager for Carlo Leone’s November bid for the same district.
“I am so happy and proud for her and, and I know we’ll have a strong voice in the senate, following in the footsteps of Sen. Leone,” Meyer said.
Miller’s election to the state senate triggers yet another special election for Stamford, this time for residents on the West Side and in Waterside. Once Miller formally vacates her seat, Lamont must set the date for a special election within 10 days. Special elections happen roughly two months after a formal resignation occurs.