Republican Brandy Campbell to Face Democrat Devin Berke in Region 18 BOE Special Election

OLD LYME, CT – Republican Brandy Campbell and Democrat Devin Berke will compete for a vacant Old Lyme seat on the Region 18 Board of Education during a special election scheduled for Oct. 6 at Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School.

The vacancy was created by the resignation of school board member Scott Brown, a Democrat. With Brown’s resignation, effective Sept. 30, the school board will consist of seven Democrats and one unaffiliated member elected under the Democratic banner.

The Republican Town Committee (RTC) announced Campbell’s candidacy in a Sunday news release.

Campbell is a veterinarian, scientist and chair of the Old Lyme Conservation Commission. She has two children currently attending grades eight and 10 in the Lyme-Old Lyme school system.

“Our community deserves a school board that balances the needs of our students, educators, and taxpayers with absolute transparency,” Campbell said. “I am committed to listening respectfully to all viewpoints and collaborating across the community to ensure our schools remain a welcoming environment where every student can thrive academically and personally.”

The RTC noted this is Campbell’s third bid for a school board seat. She ran in last year’s municipal election and was nominated during a special election in July.

“This is indicative of her perseverance and commitment to the children of Region 18,” the committee said.

Berke, who was endorsed last week by the Old Lyme Democratic Town Committee (DTC), is an Old Lyme resident and parent of a second grader at Mile Creek School. His professional background includes accounting and construction management.

“As the parent of a student in our schools, I see firsthand how important a strong public school system is to our children, our families and our community,” he said in a DTC news release. “I would bring both that perspective and my professional experience to the board, while listening carefully to parents, educators, students and taxpayers.”

Democrats said Berke’s experience in accounting and construction management would provide valuable perspective as the board considers budgeting, facilities and long-term planning.

Additional nominations may be made from the floor of the Oct. 6 special town meeting, which will be held at 6 p.m. in the Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School auditorium. Only registered Old Lyme voters may vote.

The winner will serve until the next municipal election in November 2027.