Norwich — The strong message to cut taxes and spending and to tie the current city Democratic majority with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's unpopularity proved overwhelmingly successful with a Republican landslide to take over the City Council, Board of Education and the city treasurer positions.

Unofficial results available late Tuesday showed all five Republican council candidates winning seats, along with former Alderman H. Tucker Braddock as the lone Democrat, along with Democratic Mayor Deberey Hinchey, who is in the middle of a four-year term.

Former Mayor Peter Nystrom seized the momentum. The numbers revealed overwhelming victories with the former mayor as the top vote-getter with 2,528 votes, and demanding that the “new City Council” take over the selection of a new city manager as its first major task. The current council, with five Democrats and two Republicans is scheduled to hire a new city manager on Nov. 25.

Nystrom said if that schedule is maintained, “it could be the shortest city manager tenure ever.”

He also repeated a campaign pledge to re-open the current city budget to cut spending.

Along with Nystrom, Republican incumbent Alderman William Nash and newcomer candidates Joanne Philbrick, a longtime critic of city government, Stacy Gould and Gerald Martin won seats on the council.

With 1,933 votes, Braddock returned to the council.

Republican treasurer candidate Michael Gualtieri, a retired local banker, won over incumbent Democrat Brian Curtin by more than 400 votes.

The Board of Education also went Republican, but by a narrower 5-4 majority. The school board had been 6-3 Democrats for two decades.

Republican incumbents Aaron “Al” Daniels, Angelo Yeitz and Dennis Slopak returned to the board, along with newcomer Republicans Margaret Becotte and Susan Thomas. Democrats who retained their seats were Joyce Werden, Robert Aldi and Yvette Jacaruso. Newcomer Democrat Kevin Saythany won the final Democratic seat.

Hinchey said Tuesday night that she hopes to forge a working relationship with the new council, and looks forward to hearing their ideas for cutting taxes while retaining city services.

"They seem to have a lot of ideas," Hinchey said. "People put their confidence in the Republicans. I'd be eager to see their plans and how they affect the city."

Democratic Town Committee Chairman Larry Goldman said the party maybe could have countered the Republican campaign that attacked Democrats for the 6 percent tax increase this year. But he said “the candidates did not want to take that tack.”

c.bessette@theday.com

Twitter: @Bessettetheday