Neighbors Celebrate Candidate Next Door

When Jackie Randolph arrived at Davis Street Magnet School Tuesday, she wasn’t expecting to see her neighbor Erick Russell.

But she was expecting to vote for his hometown candidacy for statewide office.

After voting at her Westville polling place on Tuesday, Randolph exclaimed: ​“I voted for my neighbor!” 

Russell, a lawyer and former Democratic state party vice-chair, currently lives in Upper Westville and grew up in the Hill. He’s also the Democratic candidate for state treasurer. He’s one of two New Haveners on Tuesday’s statewide ballot. If he wins, he’ll become the first New Havener to hold statewide elected office since Hank Parker completed his tenure as state treasurer in the 1986. He’ll also become the first openly gay Black statewide elected official in the country. 

On Tuesday morning, Russell greeted voters outside of the 65 Davis St. polling place. He heard time and again how much his neighbors are looking forward to vote for a New Haven native’s candidacy. 

“It’s nice to know you’re in my neighborhood,” Randolph said. ​“If you want me to help you add up some numbers, call me.” 

Randolph said she votes in every election. Last year, she drove voters to the polls. On Tuesday, she voted for incumbent Democrats U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro. As a survivor of breast cancer herself, she cited those elected officials’ support for breast cancer awareness and research as motivating her vote.

She also said that she lives two blocks from Russell and that she loves that ​“he’s a part of the community.” 

As voters came in and out of Davis Street School, Ward 26 Democratic committee Co-Chair Amy Marx offered them an espresso brownie donated by Haven’s Harvest along with a message of gratitude: ​“Thank you for voting.” 

Maureen Murphy brought her two grandkids out to the polls at Davis Street Tuesday to teach them the importance of voting. 

Murphy said she supports DeLauro, Russell and others who ​“have the community in mind.” 

She said it is ​“tremendously important to have New Haven in mind” while working on behalf of the whole state up in Hartford. 

“You have to understand the challenges of one of Connecticut’s major cities,” Murphy said. ​“It’s an incredible opportunity to help the city that services the whole state.” 

“I don’t understand the difference between the treasure and the comptroller,” Environmental Advisory Council Chair Laura Cahn said to Russell outside the polls Tuesday. She asked him to explain the difference.

Russell said he commonly gets that question. He said the state comptroller and treasurer work closely together. 

“The treasurer controls a lot of the money that comes in. The comptroller [controls] a lot of it that goes out,” Russell said. 

The state treasurer is responsible for overseeing Connecticut’s nearly $45 billion in pension and trust fund assets. The treasurer also handles unclaimed property, oversees the Connecticut Higher Education Trust (CHET) college savings plan, and sits on government and quasi-public boards like the state airport authority.

Greater New Haven National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) President Dori Dumas voted Tuesday morning at Davis Street Magnet School. 

Dumas emphasized the importance of residents getting out to vote and having access to early voting. ​“People have to realize how important the early voting question is,” she said. ​“If we want representation then we have to eliminate the barriers for parents, working people, and people who can’t get out to vote today.” 

Dumas completed her civic duty Tuesday to avoid having ​“the hands of time turned back,” she said.

She added that she is excited about Russell’s candidacy because ​“he has expertise” and lives and cares about New Haven. 

“It’s refreshing to see someone right in our neighborhood running,” she said. 

Russell said that he started his Tuesday poll pop-in’s in Stamford at 6 a.m. and visited several polling sites throughout the state before arriving at his own at Davis Street School.

Russell reported that, based on what he’s seen throughout the day, voter turnout seems high. 

“It’s an honor to be in this position and running and an honor to have the opportunity to represent a city I love so much and grew up in, but [also] this state and its residents,” Russell said. 

He added that his hope is to be a voice for the state’s communities that are significantly impacted by the state’s fiscal health and providing a seat at the table for working families. 

"We Won't Let Erick Forget Where He Came From"

Later on Tuesday, outside of Roberto Clemente Elementary School on Columbus Avenue in the Hill, voters said they voted to keep from having their own and their great-grandkids’ voting rights taken away.

Marvin Bryant, 69, said he votes every year because he grew up during the Civil Rights era and saw first hand how civil rights leaders and the Black Panther Party fought for the community’s voting rights.

“Their fight for social justice finally caught traction and we can’t just forget about that,” he said. ​“We’re seeing the fruit from the seed that they planted.” 

Educator Donte Gonzales, 34, visited the polls after a full school day of professional development that ended at 2:30 p.m.

He voted to practice what he preaches to his students about the importance of voting and making social change. 

“Voting is the best thing we can do,” he said.

While not too familiar with Russell, Gonzales said it’d be nice to ​“have someone from the area representing us,” he said. ​“If they see the issues right in from of them then they’re committed to fixing them.” 

Neighbors Betty Fludd and Holly Jiang carpooled to Tuesday’s polls at Clemente ​“because we have a voice,” they said. 

Fludd said her vote Tuesday ​“held people accountable” and prioritized youth education. 

A retired principal from the Bronx, Fludd said she’s confident that candidates like Russell will represent New Haven well if elected.

Jiang added that she believes Russell will serve as a positive role model for New Haven youth. ​“He’s telling kids: ​‘Yes, we can,’ ” Jiang said.

​“We won’t let Erick forget where he came from,” Fludd said. ​“He moved up but he better bring us up with him.” 

Jiang said she shifted around her Tuesday schedule to plan the time to vote with Fludd.

Hill Alder Carmen Rodriguez welcomed voters to the polls Tuesday at Clemente. In between pointing voters in the right direction for parking and walking into the polls, Rodriguez worked with a team of volunteers to make calls to Hill residents reminding them to vote.

State Rep. Juan Candelaria also talked with voters outside of the Clemente polls about the importance of community representation in politics. 

“We can relate to each other,” Candelaria said.

Rodriguez said she looks forward to leaders like Candelaria and Russell being a ​“phone call away.”