Paul Bass Photo
Dancy, Diaz thank supporters Tuesday night.
A team of candidates representing the Dixwell neighborhood and a bordering sliver of Yale University scored a clear victory in a crowded ward committee election.
The five-way election for two open 22nd Democratic Ward Committee co-chairs took place Tuesday. It was the only one of 30 wards in town to have a contested co-chair race. Ward committees’ main function is to endorse candidates for elected office, though some committees take on broader community-building roles; each ward has two co-chairs.
The 22nd Ward is split between the Dixwell neighborhood and Yale’s Ezra Stiles and Morse residential colleges.
Victoria Dancy, a project manager and part-time adjunct at Gateway Community College, ran for co-chair as a team with Yale student Gabrielle Diaz. They captured 189 and 194 votes at the machines, according to the final tally (including absentee ballots).
The ward’s alder, Jeanette Morrison, worked hard on their campaign. Morrison said she has tried since first winning her alder position five years ago to bridge the divide between town and gown, which is in stark relief in Ward 22.
“We all have to live here,” she said at the polls at Wexler-Grant School Tuesday night. When she was growing up, she said, “there was an unwritten rule” that Yale and the city don’t mix. “I never bought into that,” she said.
“We are so excited to work with you all,” Diaz told two dozen or so supporters who gathered inside the entryway to the Wexler-Grant polling station. “We are so excited to work with Jeanette.”
Dancy thanked opponents Cordelia Thorpe, Angela Watley, and Helen Powell for “this wonderful race.” Thorpe, who was an incumbent, captured 81 votes; Watley, 81; Powell, 54.
“It’s hard to beat a machine,” Watley remarked.
Its a shame. I don't think they along with the Jeanette has some of our interest on their minds. I talked with Thorpe and Watley and told them of an issue. They were right on the phone texting somebody and taking the information. Dancy and Diaz sent some Yalies around and when I told them about the issue they had that political stare like and was saying ok ok so are you going to vote for them. It was like they didn't give a crap. Just like Jeanette when I emailed her 3 times about it and I have called all over the city about this and nothing and even wrote something before on this and they didn't put it on.