Gino DiGiovanni Jr., a member of the local board of aldermen, beat Mayor Richard Dziekan by just 10 votes — 202 to 192 — which triggered an automatic recount, set for noon on Friday.
The rise of Mr. DiGiovanni, 42, has astonished leaders in Connecticut, where 59 percent of voters cast their ballots for Joseph R. Biden Jr. in 2020.
His win is also notable for Derby, an old mill city of just over 12,000 people.
The presidential race was close: Mr. Biden beat Donald J. Trump in Derby by four points.
So was the 2021 race for mayor: Mr. Dziekan beat his Democratic opponent by just 48 votes.
Persons:
Gino DiGiovanni Jr, Richard Dziekan, DiGiovanni, Joseph R, Biden, Donald J, Dziekan
Organizations:
Republican, Derby, Trump, Democratic
Locations:
Derby, Conn, Connecticut