Voters will choose between candidates Tuesday in five official races for aldermen and determine whether to send Mayor John DeStefano back for a record ninth two-year term. They’ll also decide a ballot question, too.
The ballot question is one that comes up every five years.
“Shall the City of New Haven, as authorized by the Board of Aldermen, continue to undertake programs and projects under the City and Town Development Act, Chapter 114, Sec.7 – 480 et seq. of the Connecticut General Statutes?” the question reads. The BOA passed a resolution on Aug. 3 authorizing the city to act under the law; it now needs electoral approval. Click here for a letter from the mayor encouraging its passage; click here for a city release.
The act “assists municipalities in reducing unemployment, alleviating blight, and updating and upgrading the commercial, industrial and housing stock,” wrote city spokeswoman Jessica Mayorga in a release. It gives the city the power to “acquire, construct, rehabilitate, improve and equip development property” as well as “to hold, manage, operate and dispose of” development property. The act empowers the city to borrow money, issue bonds or make loans to “sponsors” fund developments in accordance with the Act.
Since its inception in 1975, the act has allowed the city to complete projects such as the Hill Health Center, Center Court, and Science Park, according to DeStefano.
Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Click here to find out what ward you’re in, and scroll to the bottom of this story to determine where to vote. Confused? Call 946‑8035.
Here’s who’s running in the race.
DeStefano, a Democrat, is expected to sail to reelection. He faces a challenge from three independent candidates, none of whom have raised over $1,000 or organized a sizable campaign team.
The names on the ballot are: Ralph Ferrucci, Henri Sumner and Angela Watley. Read about a candidate debate here. Read about a four-way debate here.
Roger Ulhein is running as a write-in candidate for mayor, too. He runs every two years. In 2007, he got 15 votes.
Related stories:
• Mayor Launches “School Change” Campaign
• Challenger Or Not, Campaign Steams Ahead
• Watley: I’d Have Promoted Ricci
Parent Activist Plans To Challenge Mayor
City Clerk Ron Smith is also seeking reelection. An independent candidate named Leonard Nixon is challenging him, without a visible campaign.
Neighborhood Battles
There are five races for the Board of Aldermen, the city’s legislative body.
The two closest races involve aldermen defending the last two seats on the board that haven’t been claimed by the Democratic party: The 30-person board has one Republican, one Green and 28 Democrats.
Those non-Democrat aldermen are fighting for survival in a one-party town. There are 64,011 registered voters in New Haven. The vast majority, 70 percent, are Democrats; 4 percent are Republicans and 26 percent are unaffiliated. Less than 1 percent are classified as “other”. Those 368 voters include Greens.
Ward 10 (East Rock)
In the hottest race in town, Democrat Justin Elicker (at right) is challenging Alderman Allan Brison (at left), the only Green on the 30-member board.
Brison is in his first term. In 2007, he surprised the city by toppling incumbent Democrat Ed Mattison by a vote of 393 to 304. East Rock, a neighborhood populated by many Yale affiliates, tends to have one of the highest voter turnout rates in the city.
Past stories on this year’s race:
• Open, Or Close, A Gate To Schoolkids?
• Campaign $$ Seeds Races
• Elicker Swears Off Mayor’s Money
• Candidates Split On Schools
• Greens’ Leaders Split On Strategy
• Brison Calls For Noise Barriers
• Lone Green Alderman Faces Challenge
Ward 11 (Fair Haven Heights/Bella Vista)
Independent candidate Maureen O’Sullivan-Best is challenging Democratic Alderman Robert Lee.
Ward 18 (Morris Cove)
Democrat Susan Campion is challenging Alderwoman Arlene DePino, the only Republican on the board. It’s their third time facing each other at the polls. Issues range from Tweed-New Haven Airport to budgets and term limits for aldermen.
Ward 22 (Dixwell)
Democrat Cordelia Thorpe is running against Democrat-endorsed Alderman Greg Morehead. She doesn’t appear to pose much of a threat: She hasn’t raised more than $1,000 and the last she faced him in a general election, she got only 14 votes. (Morehead got 232.)
Lisa Hopkins is running, too, as a write-in candidate. All three faced off in the Democratic primary, which Morehead won.
Ward 26 (Westville)
Republican James O’Connell has mounted a long-shot race against Democratic Alderman Sergio Rodriguez.
After losing a primary battle against Democrat Katrina Jones in Newhallville’s Ward 21, Moses Nelson is trying again as a write-in candidate.
Where To Vote
Ward 1 (Yale): Public library, 133 Elm St.
Ward 2 (Dwight): Troup School, 259 Edgewood Ave.
Ward 3 (the Hill): Career High School, 140 Legion Ave.
Ward 4 (the Hill): Truman School, 114 Truman St.
Ward 5 (the Hill): Firehouse at 525 Howard Ave.
Ward 6 (the Hill): Micro Society Magnet School, 103 Hallock Ave.
Ward 7 (Downtown/ Audubon): Hall of Records, 200 Orange St.
Ward 8 (Wooster Square): Conte/West Hills Magnet School, 511 Chapel St.
Ward 9 (East Rock): East Rock Magnet School, 133 Nash St.
Ward 10 (East Rock): Wilbur Cross High School, 181 Mitchell Dr.
Ward 11 (Bishop Woods/Fair Haven Heights): Precinct 1 votes at Bella Vista, 343 Eastern St. Precinct 2 votes at Bishop Woods School, 1481 Quinnipiac Ave.
Ward 12 (Fair Haven Heights): Vote at Ross/Woodward School, 189 Barnes Ave.
Ward 13 (Fair Haven Heights): Benjamin Jepson Magnet School, 15 Lexington Ave.
Ward 14 (Fair Haven): Atwater Senior Center, 26 Atwater St.
Ward 15 (Fair Haven): Firehouse at 412 Lombard St.
Ward 16 (Fair Haven): John S. Martinez School, 100 James St.
Ward 17 (The Annex): Firehouse at 824 Woodward Ave.
Ward 18 (Morris Cove): Nathan Hale School, 485 Townsend Ave.
Ward 19 (Newhallville, East Rock): Celentano School, 400 Canner St.
Ward 20 (Newhallville): Lincoln-Bassett School, 130 Bassett St.
Ward 21 (Newhallville): Urban Youth (former MLK School), 580 Dixwell Ave.
Ward 22 (Dixwell): Wexler/Grant School, 55 Foote St.
Ward 23 (Dwight and West River): Berger Apartments, 135 Derby Ave.
Ward 24 (Edgewood): Firehouse at 120 Ellsworth Ave.
Ward 25 (Westville): Edgewood Magnet School, 737 Edgewood Ave.
Ward 26 (Westville): Mauro/Sheridan School, 191 Fountain St.
Ward 27 (Beaver Hills, Westville): Mitchell Library, 37 Harrison St.
Ward 28 (Beaver Hills): Hillhouse High School, 480 Sherman Pkwy.
Ward 29 (Beaver Hills): Beecher School, 100 Jewel St.
Ward 30 (West Hills and West Rock): The West Rock side (Precinct 1) votes at Clarence Rogers School, 199 Wilmot Rd. The West Hills side (Precinct 2) votes at former West Hills School at 311 Valley St.
Any guesses for whom I'll be voting for mayor?
Any thoughts from the peanut gallery on Ron Smith?
PS What is this about Gerry Garcia announcing?