On Tuesday, November 2, voters headed to the polls to choose between democratic candidate Caroline Simmons and unaffiliated candidate Bobby Valentine in the race for Stamford’s new mayor. After a long-fought mayoral battle over many months, Simmons claimed victory over her opponent Bobby Valentine. The race was close, with the results coming down to absentee ballots, but in the end, Simmons came out on top. 

“I could not be more honored and humbled to get to be your next mayor,” Simmons said in her press conference after finding out the results. “To every Stamford voter who came to the polls, thank you for voting today, and for advocating for a brighter future for our wonderful city.”

Throughout the election, some of the top problems debated were the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, our education system, and diversity in our city. Both candidates argued for their points and vowed to solve these issues if they were to become mayor. For Simmons, she said that “we have people who are out of work, small businesses who are struggling, students who have lost a year of class time, and infrastructure challenges.” With her win solidified, Simmons can now work to meet her goals.

While this election was local, it did gain national attention. Former President Barack Obama endorsed Simmons late in the race and Valentine’s prominence in national baseball projected this election far beyond our city’s lines. 

Simmons will be Stamford’s first female mayor, signifying a historic election for our city. Supporters of her showed up outside of Stamford High on election day to get their final push to voters. In the end, Simmons’ efforts paid off as Valentine conceded to Simmons, closing out this important election day.