Landslide Win for Democrats in Manchester Elections

It was a good night to be a Democrat in Manchester on Tuesday, as the party won all available seats on both the Board of Directors and the Board of Education and Leo V. Diana was elected mayor in a resounding win for the party in town.

“What it comes down to is we changed the way we do politics in Manchester,” said Democratic Town Committee Chairman Mike Pohl after the unofficial results had been announced at the Democrats campaign headquarters on Broad Street shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Pohl noted that during the two years that the Democrats controlled a 5-4 majority on the Board of Directors the party appointed a number of Republican candidates to boards and commissions in town, which he said he thought resonated with voters who were tiring of partisan politics.

“It’s the civility,” he said. “If a Republican is doing a good job, then they should stay there."

Democrat candidates Leo V. Diana, Steve Gates, Jay Moran, John D. Topping, Lisa P. O’Neill and Rudy C. Kissman all won election to the Board of Directors, the most seats the party can possibly hold under minority representation rules. Diana, Moran, O'Neill and Kissman are incumbents. 

Diana received the most votes of all Board of Directors candidates and will serve as the next Mayor of Manchester, while Moran will serve as Deputy Mayor as the second highest vote getter. Diana received 4,298 votes, according to an unofficial count the party conducted based on poll figures, while Moran finished with 3,982.

Republicans Cheri Ann Pelletier, Mark Tweedie and Susan Holmes also won election to the Board of Directors as the three highest vote getters on the Republican side, although none received more votes than the lowest Democratic candidate. Pelletier and Tweedie are incumbents. 

Democrats also took all four seats available to the party on the Board of Education ticket. Democrats Jason P. Scappaticci and Sarah Walton captures seats from 2011-2014, while Neal Leon and Maria W. Cruz won seats from 2012-2015. Cruz and Leon are incumbents. 

Republicans Michael Crockett, an incumbent, and Merrill Kidd also won seats on the board. Kidd will serve from 2011-2014, while Crockett will serve from 2012-2015. 

Democrats will now control six seats on the Board of Education. 

"I don't thnk things are going to change on the Board of Education," said Leon. "We have a lot of stuff we need to get done, from a new superintendent to a new prinicpal to the budget. A 6-3 (majority) from 5-4 doesn't change anything." 

Steve Cassano, Wally Irish and Joseph J. Diminico were elected to the Board of Selectman.

Elected Constables were Chuck Barrera, Warren J. Packer, Edward Siegeski, Albert J. Gionet, Gary Benson, John Orfitelli and Salvatore Mancini.

Voters also approved .

Candidates will be sworn in on Monday, Nov. 21. 

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Crockett had not been re-elected, and also failed to mention that Kidd had also been elected.