Democrat Arunan Arulampalam is declaring victory in the Hartford mayoral race.
The capitol city is getting a new mayor for the first time in eight years after incumbent Luke Bronin said he would not seek re-election.
"Over the course of this campaign, so many of you have shared with me your hopes and dreams for this city and I will carry them with me to city hall as a regular reminder of why we fight and who we fight for. I am here to fight for each and every one of you," Arulampalam said.
Arulampalam opened is victory speech talking about unity, saying the campaign got support from precincts across the city. His message about the future is to "believe in Hartford."
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The mayor-elect greeted supporters with his wife and four of his five children. He said he had an improbable journey, born in Zimbabwe as the son of two parents who fled war.
He worked in Gov. Ned Lamont's administration as the Department of Consumer Protection commissioner before becoming the CEO of a nonprofit that rehabilitates blighted properties in Hartford. But he says he is more inspired by the city of Hartford's journey and plans to rebuild on the work of prior leaders, including Bronin.
"We’re going have a really robust transition, and try to deliver on the promises that I made on the campaign trail. Continued investments, and we’ve started some really important investments in our downtown, and we’re going to stretch that into our neighborhoods, and then real investment in our children," Arulampalam said.
Local
Five candidates faced off to be the capital city's next mayor and voters say they were happy to cast their ballots - noting the crucial role the next mayor will play in Hartford's future.
A handful of voters trickled into both city hall and the Hartford Public Library right next door this afternoon.
Arulampalam won the Democratic primary in September and is the Democratic Party's endorsed candidate.
Michael McGarry, who is a publisher, ran on the Republican ticket. There were also three petitioning candidates: Hartford native and army veteran Giselle Jacobs, Democratic City Council member Nick Lebron and J. Stan McCauley, who has a five-point plan for Hartford.
A sixth candidates, Mark Stewart Greenstein, dropped out of the mayoral race on Oct. 29.
Hartford updated its ballots for Tuesday’s election after some raised concerns about a translation on the ballot that could be confusing for some Spanish-speaking voters.
Some priority issues for voters in Hartford include downtown revitalization, addressing poverty, affordable housing and schools. Residents say they want to see someone who is active in the community and who really listens to constituents.
Follow along with national results with NBC News’ Election Day live updates here.
