Ledyard — A nearly 31% turnout of voters in Ledyard keeps the Town Council and Board of Education in GOP hands.

Current Town Council chairwoman Linda Davis won a ninth term on the panel and was the top vote-getter. She's been the leader of the council since 2013.

Joining her for a seventh term is fellow Republican Kevin Dombrowski. GOP incumbents Andra Ingalls, Tim Ryan and John Marshall also won reelection. Ingalls said she believes Republicans got reelected "as a team based on the feedback we heard about the tone of the other party's campaign. I don't think Ledyard likes that kind of negative tone."

The lone Republican newcomer to the Town Council candidate slate, Gary Paul, 47, also won a seat. He grew up in Ledyard, serves on the town's Economic Development and Conservation commissions and oversees the Hike Ledyard program. He currently manages Advanced Heating Oil.

On the Democratic side, Mary McGrattan has been elected to a 12th consecutive term to the council. The veteran lawmaker, who also has served as the mayor of Ledyard, as well as a state representative, said she still enjoys serving in local government. "I have the time to devote to it," she said. "It's close to home. It's interesting, and always something different."

Fellow incumbent Democrat William Saums will serve another two years in office. He's been on the council since 2008. Current Board of Education member Naomi Rodriguez will serve her first term on the Town Council.

While Republicans will maintain a 6-3 majority on the council, the GOP lost one seat on the Board of Education. 

Current Chairman Anthony Favry and fellow Republican incumbents Mike Brawner, Steve Munger, Brandon Graber and Laurel Wiers all won reelection.

Democrats, though, now have four representatives on the school board. Incumbents Kate DiPalma-Herb and Joanne Kelley will be joined by newcomers Mary Harris and Alex Rode.

Favry has been on the board since 2015, and its chairman since 2016. "It seems politics has become a lot more polarized, and I never wanted to stoop down to that level," he said. "What Ledyard has done best all along as a community is we come together and collaborate and we come up with solutions on the Board, as we work as a team.

Election officials say the 31 percent turnout at the Ledyard polls is high for a municipal election. They said voter participation in such races has previously fallen between 12 and 20 percent.