New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker has been re-elected by an overwhelming majority, and his opponent has conceded less than an hour after polls closed.
Elicker was facing off against Republican John Carlson, who faced steep odds to unseat Elicker as Democrats heavily outnumber Republicans in the city.
Carlson was New Haven's first Republican mayoral candidate in more than a decade.
Elicker, who has now won a second term as New Haven's mayor, said he prioritized the safety of residents during the pandemic by cracking down on crime in the city.
New Haven has increased the number of street outreach workers and youth engagement workers and has restarted the shooting taskforce.
“We've taken over 160 guns off the streets since January 1 of this year. We are confronting this problem. We also need the community's help in doing so. People need to share info with us so that we can track down and bring people to justice faster,” Elicker said.
Carlson, who has been a teacher for 22 years. said during a debate with Elicker last month that the city needs to improve test scores and more funds need to be invested into classroom resources.
“I hope they understand the importance of education and improving the lives of people in the city, keeping our streets safe and I hope they understand the importance of voting,” Carlson said at the time.
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