Early Afternoon at Districts 3 & 5

Donna DeLeone, assistant registrar for the 3rd District, said as of 1 p.m. 800 of the district's  3,015 voters have filled out ballots. "It's been very busy this morning. Everything's going smoothly," she said.

Dolly Goglietto, a ballot clerk there, attributed the healthy turnout to voter dissatisfaction. "People are disgusted. Everybody's looking for a change. They've about had it," she said.

District 5 Assistant Registrar Sherry Cifarelli said 633 voters out of the district's registered 3,048 had shown up as 1 p.m. "It's been an even flow. It hasn't stopped," she said.

Outside, state representative candidate Republican Linda Monaco said she's feeling good about her chances of beating incumbent state Rep. Mike Lawlor.

"Things are going really good. Very good. They're almost out of 'I Voted Today' stickers," said Monaco. "I'm feeling optimistic but I need all the voters to come out. Even though it's going to be a tight race, I'm feeling optimistic."

She pointed to the soles of her Reeboks. She said she bought them last April, when she started to campaign door to door. "They're completely worn out. They're gone," said Monaco.

Mayor April Capone Almon was also outside Deer Run this afternoon. "We've seen great voter turnout. People I'm talking to are very supportive of the Democrats. I was making phone calls from the Democratic headquarters in New Haven [earlier in the day] to people in New Haven and East Haven and they were very supportive."

Cathy Finkle, 48, had just voted. She's the director of the Little Jackets childcare program at the local elementary schools and a Republican who voted down the party line.

"I just think we need a change. [Linda Monaco] seems like a real go-getter; that she'll do what she says," said Finkle.

Aside from party affiliation, Finkle said she voted for McMahon "because I think he's [Richard Blumenthal] been in long, too long. Then he was caught in lies. He said he was a veteran. I really do believe in [McMahon]."

Will McMahon prevail? "I don't know. He [Blumenthal] has a name. Some people just vote on name recognition and I hope that doesn't happen," said Finkle.

John Rossick, 88, and wife, Evelyn Rossick, are unaffiliated voters and wouldn't divulge whom they voted for.

"I just pick out who's qualified for the job," said John.

"Mike Lawlor went to school with my daughter at UConn," said Evelyn, but stopped short of saying whether she voted for him. "It's been a tough one today to try to pick out candidates."

Asked how she does choose, she pointed to the sky and said, "He makes them for me."

"I can't stand [Blumenthal]. He's a liar," said Jeannie O'Brien, 66, a Republican who just finished voting at Deer Run.  "He was never in Vietnam and I have friends who were in Vietnam and lost their lives. And I'm a Republican anyway," she said.

North Haven Probate Court Judge Mike Brandt was standing outside with the Monaco crew. He's running against his friend, East Haven Judge Michael Albis, for the newly merged East Haven/North Haven court..

"I'm feeling good. I think both Mike and I ran a good campaign and I think people appreciate the manner in which we ran our campaigns," said Brandt. He said the two talked on the phone last night to wish each other well.