Old Saybrook - Republican Carl P. Fortuna beat Democratic opponent Carol A. Manning by a 2-to-1 ratio on Tuesday to become Old Saybrook's first selectman.

Manning, a current selectman, lost her seat on the Board of Selectmen because she received the lowest number of votes among the four candidates for first selectman and Board of Selectmen.

Fortuna received 2,250 votes to Manning's 1,236. Voter turnout was 45 percent, with about 3,342 out of the town's 7,389 registered voters casting ballots Tuesday.

The new Board of Selectmen is Fortuna, Republican running mate Scott M. Giegerich with 2,168 votes and Democrat Steven S. Gernhardt with 1,270 votes.

A longtime Board of Finance member and chairman, Fortuna, 48, is a familiar face to many around town. But his election introduces change to a town that for a dozen years has been run by longtime First Selectman Michael A. Pace.

Pace and fellow Republican Selectman William Peace both decided to step down from their long-held spots on the Board of Selectmen earlier this year. Pace's last day is Nov. 18, and the new administration starts Nov. 21.

Fortuna and Giegerich, 48, took in vote tallies over the phone in the back room of the Republican party's headquarters on Boston Post Road, just down the street from the Democratic headquarters. As the numbers rolled in, Giegerich jokingly balanced his plastic cup of red wine on his forehead.

"That's a good sign," Republican Ray Collins said.

Moments later, campaign chairman John Torrenti announced, "We have a new first selectman."

Fortuna, an attorney, thanked everyone from his parents to his campaign workers to state Rep. Marilyn Giuliano, R-Old Saybrook, whose "fingerprints are all over this campaign."

"We're going to keep the town moving forward, but in a fiscally responsible way," Fortuna said.

At the Democratic headquarters, Manning, 67, said she was disappointed but planned to help the town in other ways.

"I'm surprised, but obviously, the voters have spoken," she said.

Gernhardt, a political newcomer, said he "didn't anticipate Carol not winning, but (is) looking forward to working with Carl and Scott."

j.cho@theday.com