A guide to the Democratic candidates on your 2026 ballot
Whether you vote early, by absentee ballot or on Election Day, Nov. 3, you’ll want to know who’ll appear on Row A, the Democratic Party row, on your ballot.
Starting with the state Senate race, here’s a look at the candidates you’ll find in Row A — and the issues they will make a priority in office. (Click the links for a deep dive.)
Oberlander brings decades of legal and public-service experience. She was the first Democratic chair of the Greenwich finance board where she managed complex municipal finances while funding schools and town services. She also served on the Board of Selectmen where she was the first chair of the Greenwich Sustainability Committee. She will bring that deep experience to Hartford where she plans to enact her ABC agenda — Affordability, Business development and Centrist leadership — focusing on lowering costs, fiscal discipline, strong public schools, supporting seniors, and protecting local zoning decisions.
Oberlander will appear in Row A, position 3A, on your ballot.
Once you’ve identified your state Senate candidate, look one column to the right on the ballot: your Row A candidate for state representative is in position 4A. Which candidate you see depends on which of Greenwich’s three Assembly districts you live in.
Goldberg policy priorities are affordability and fiscal discipline, while protecting our healthcare systems and keeping families and seniors in the district. He also proposes partnerships between local businesses and schools to strengthen education and economic development.
Meskers helped secure state funding for the Old Greenwich and Central Middle School projects and traffic-safety improvements in Byram, Pemberwick and Glenville. As chair of the Commerce Committee, he led a bipartisan overhaul of the state’s environmental cleanup rules to make it easier to redevelop contaminated properties while holding polluters accountable.
Arzeno has secured more than $30 million in state funding for Greenwich schools, including Central Middle, Old Greenwich Elementary and working to secure funding for Riverside Elementary renovations. He works closely with many local non-profits, and has emphasized the need for local input and maintaining local zoning authority with the state. His advocacy has earned him endorsements from the Independent Party as well as the Democratic Party.
In position 1A is Ned Lamont and Susan Bysiewicz running jointly on the same ticket for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively.
Lamont has delivered seven consecutive balanced state budgets, built a $4 billion rainy-day fund and overseen more than $11 billion in additional pension payments, reducing the state’s long-term pension obligations and costs. His administration is also using state funds to respond to federal cuts while pursuing measures to lower electricity costs,including a 2026 utility reform package aimed at increasing accountability and reducing ratepayer costs.
Bysiewicz is seeking reelection with a focus on good-paying jobs, public education and job training. As lieutenant governor, she advocated for Connecticut’s paid family and medical leave program, a higher minimum wage and expanded access to child care. She also has led the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls in defending reproductive rights.
Statewide office incumbants
Next to the governor’s race, Row A continues with four statewide constitutional offices. All four Democratic candidates are incumbents seeking reelection to the offices they have held since 2023 and, in William Tong’s case, since 2019. Here’s a quick look at each candidate’s record in office:
5A — Stephanie Thomas — Secretary of the State
Thomas has overseen the rollout of early voting and helped modernize our election infrastructure. She has overseen Connecticut’s expanded absentee-voting system and challenged federal efforts to restrict states’ authority over mail voting.
6A — Erick Russell — State Treasurer. Russell has focused on pension investments and debt reduction, including directing more than $11 billion in excess state revenue into the pension funds over the past seven fiscal years.
7A — Sean Scanlon — State Comptroller. Scanlon has used the comptroller’s office to track the state’s finances and health care costs, while overseeing reforms to the municipal pension system and state employee health plan.
8A —William Tong — Attorney General
Tong has challenged federal efforts to impose new restrictions on mail-in voting, including leading a multistate lawsuit that blocked new U.S. Postal Service requirements for state vote-by-mail systems. He has pursued multistate legal actions involving consumer protection, health care, reproductive rights, utilities and federal policies, including a recent agreement protecting AmeriCorps funding.
You’ll find the U.S. House race in position 2A. For Greenwich voters, this means Jim Himes is the Row A candidate for the 4th Congressional District.
Jim Himes — U.S. House of Representatives (4th District) As ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, Himes helps oversee the nation’s intelligence agencies and has worked on national security, congressional oversight and protections for Americans’ privacy and civil liberties. He has also secured more than $12.5 million for 13 community projects in our District, including funding for housing, stormwater improvements, public safety, wastewater and pedestrian infrastructure.
And finally, on Row A, box 10, you’ll find the Democratic candidate for Registrar of Voters, a town office.
Mary Hegarty — Greenwich Registrar of Voters Hegarty is the Democratic candidate for this position, an office she has held since 2018. She and her Republican colleague have received two national awards recognizing best practices in election administration.
Questions about voting?
Not sure which Assembly District you’re in, where to vote, or whether to vote early or by absentee ballot? Check with the Greenwich Registrar of Voters, the Greenwich League of Women Voters, the Secretary of the State’s voter informationand our website. These resources can help you confirm your registration, voting location and voting options and even give you a sneak peak at the ballot.
What we’re reading
An analysis from CT Mirror finds that Connecticut is receiving an estimated $2 billion less in federal fundingunder the Trump administration, with roughly half of the $4 billion the state expected now disrupted or lost. The cuts affect programs ranging from disaster preparedness and pollution control to health education, infectious disease preventionand biomedical research. Connecticut is among 26 states challenging the administration in court.
Read Selectwoman Rachel Khanna’s latest newsletter here.
Action Calendar
October 10. ¡Celebremos!
Meet our Democratic candidates (conozca a los candidatos) and celebremos el Mes de la Herencia Hispana (celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month), 4-6 p.m. at the Bendheim Western Greenwich Civic Center Playground, 449 Pemberwick Road. More information and RSVP here.
October 11. Walk or run.
Attend the annual Walk/Run fundraiser for Abilis, the nonprofit that supports 800 individuals with special needsand their families. Greenwich Point Park Clambake area, 11 Tods Driftway, Old Greenwich. Registration.
October 13. Help us win.
Volunteers needed, no experience necessary. Join us in our campaign headquarters to help elect our Democratic team. Make calls, knock doors, write postcards and more. Click here to RSVP. Same time and the same place every Tuesday: 4-7 p.m. at Campaign Headquarters, Venture X, 200 Pemberwick Road, 2nd Floor, Room 229.
October 14. Debate.
The League of Women Voters hosts state representative and state senator candidate debates at 7 p.m., First Congregational Church, 108 Sound Beach Ave., Old Greenwich. RSVP here.
October 17. Rally.
No Kings and Indivisible will bring our community together to make a plan to vote early, while ensuring eligible voters understand their options and have the opportunity to make their voices heard. 2-2:45 p.m., in front of the Havemeyer Building, 290 Greenwich Ave. Info.
October 19. Debate again.
Attend or stream the 4th Congressional District Debatefeaturing incumbent and Greenwich resident Jim Himes, 7 p.m., Westport Public Library, 20 Jessup Road, Westport. Register.
October 22. Be aware.
Board of Selectmen meetings offer residents a firsthand look at the issues before the town, the questions officials are asking, and the decisions that can affect town services and taxpayer dollars. Attend in person or watch on Zoom to see your local government in action. 10:30 a.m., Town Hall Cone Room, 101 Field Point Road.
| Volume 5, Number 15 • October 8, 2026 |
| Paid for by the Greenwich Democratic Town Committee. |
| Greenwich Democratic Town Committee P.O. Box 126 Greenwich, CT 06836 |