Thomas Breen photos
Newhallville alder candidates Shirley Lawrence, Devin Avshalom-Smith, and Addie Kimbrough.
Newhallville Democrats will have three alder candidates to pick among on Sept. 14 — in what may turn out to be the only contested primary in town this year.
Last week, Newhallville Ward 20 alder hopefuls Devin Avshalom-Smith and Addie Kimbrough successfully petitioned their way onto September’s Democratic primary ballot by submitting to the city/town clerk’s office signatures from at least 5 percent of registered Democrats in the ward — or a minimum of 72.
Avshalom-Smith submitted 108 signatures, and Kimbrough submitted 72. The city clerk’s office has certified the petitions.
That means that the two alder challengers have secured ballot access for Sept. 14.
They will face off during that Ward 20 Democratic alder primary against Shirley Lawrence, who in July won the local Democratic Party’s endorsement for the local legislative seat recently vacated by Delphine Clyburn.
Click here and here to read about that Newhallville alder race.
As of Monday afternoon, Avshalom-Smith and Kimbrough are the only two candidates in any city election to have submitted petitions to make their way onto the primary ballot.
Candidates who did not win their respective parties’ endorsements during last month’s conventions have until 4 p.m. on Wednesday to submit petitions to the city/town clerk’s office in a bid to participate in September’s primary.
If no other candidates submit petitions by then, the Ward 20 Democratic alder race will be the only contested primary among the 33 local elected offices in play this year.
The largely uncontested primary path ahead comes thanks to a series of candidate departures from various races before voters had any chance to weigh in.
Democratic mayoral challenger Karen DuBois-Walton dropped out of the race at the start of the Democratic Town Convention, clearing the path for endorsed Democratic candidate and incumbent Justin Elicker.
Fair Haven alder candidate Carmen Flores dropped out of the race during the Ward 14 Democratic Ward Committee meeting, clearing the path for endorsed Democratic candidate Sarah Miller.
Quinnipiac Meadows alder hopeful Yul Watley recently told the Independent that he will not in fact be running for local office in Ward 12, clearing the path for endorsed Democratic candidate and incumbent Gerald Antunes.
Incumbent Beaver Hills Alder Jill Marks announced before the convention that she will not be running for reelection in Ward 28, clearing the path for endorsed Democratic candidate Shafiq Abdussabur.
Incumbent Annex Alder Jody Ortiz recently told the Independent that she will not be running for reelection in Ward 17, clearing the path for endorsed Democratic candidate Sal Punzo.
The only other ward in the city besides Newhallville’s Ward 20 that could have a contested primary is Fair Haven Heights’ Ward 11, which includes the low-income senior apartment complex Bella Vista. In that ward, incumbent Alder Renee Haywood has won the Democratic Party’s endorsement for reelection. Although no challengers have yet submitted petitions to make it onto the primary ballot, four other Democrats have filed to run for that seat. They include: Kurtis Kearney, Ira Johnson, Robert Lee, and Patrick Myrthil.
November’s general election, meanwhile, will have at least a handful of contested races thanks to a slate of candidates fielded by the local Republican Party and, in one alder race, the Green Party. Those contested general election races will include races for mayor, city/town clerk, Board of Education District 1, Fair Haven Heights’ Ward 11 alder, Fair Haven Heights’ Ward 13 alder, and Upper Westville’s Ward 26 alder.
EVERY SEAT SHOULD BE CHALLENGED!!
Sadly, the apathy in New Haven politics is shameful.
It was easy to fathom that Karen Walton would not pursue the finish line in this race against Elicker. Ask yourself, why would a person run for an office that would pay almost $100,000 less than what they're currently making? Not to mention that she would have to challenge that salary every two years. She ran what I called way back in early March, a "Blocker Campaign." Her intent was to give the impression that she was sincere, only to back out at the last minute precluding another Democrat from having sufficient time to launch a challenge.
If you read my earlier comments at the time of her announcement, you'll clearly sense my suspicion. Unfortunately, her insatiable appetite for quitting, has spiraled downward to Aldermanic races as well.
My mother once told me "if you do not agree with the direction your elected official is driving your community, find someone to run against them. If you cannot find someone, run yourself. If you choose not to run yourself; THEN SHUT UP!!"
Both my mother and sister were Alderwoman. And subsequently I chose to run, and win, I knocked on almost every door in Beaver Hills in order to defeat the endorsed incumbent and a retired police officer.
Please get more involved in your community in order to make the city stronger and safer! If you not to, THEN SHUT UP!!