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College students responsible for unprecedented Election Day registrations in Fairfield

A voting site in Broome County
Vaughn Golden
/
WSKG
A voting site in Broome County

Increased interest by college students led to unprecedented Election Day registrations in last Tuesday’s election, according to Fairfield election officials.

About 300 people registered and voted on the same day in Fairfield. That was more than in Connecticut’s five largest cities combined.

“I tried to engage a couple of students,” said Matthew Waggner, Fairfield’s Democratic registrar of voters.

“I asked what made so many of you interested this year while they were here, and they were all very coy," Waggner said. “They said they were just interested in voting.”

Many of the students live at Fairfield Beach. Some homeowners in the neighborhood aren’t fans of the students, he said.

“People took an interest in a recent noise ordinance that would have some impact on the student population,” Waggner said.

A Connecticut Post article says most of the students, who registered unaffiliated, voted for incumbent Republican First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchik.

She supported the student beach community during her campaign.

Kupchick is 42 votes behind Democrat Bill Gerber. The race is headed for a recount.

As WSHU Public Radio’s award-winning senior political reporter, Ebong Udoma draws on his extensive tenure to delve deep into state politics during a major election year.