Update: Board of Education member Ken Moales took out petition paperwork today to try to qualify for the State Senate special election. He must turn in 103 certified signatures of registered voters in the 23rd State Senate District to the Town Clerk’s Office by 4 p.m. Friday to qualify for the February 24 ballot.
Special election fever is heating up in the polar days of winter. Thursday (tonight) at Testo’s Restaurant where a whole bunch of dubious deals have been cut throughout the years, two Democratic endorsement sessions will take place, one for State House, the other for State Senate, for February 24 balloting. What say you, pitchers and catchers six weeks away? High heat is underway in the Park City!
The appetizer takes place at 5:30 for Connecticut’s 129th State House District that covers Black Rock, the West Side and portions of the West End and North End. Former City Councilman Steve Stafstrom should be in good shape for the endorsement to replace Auden Grogins who’s been nominated to the state bench. Republican City Councilman Enrique Torres will also be on the ballot. Several other petitioning Democrats need just 32 certified signatures from registered voters in the district to join the party, among them former State House members Bob Keeley and Hector Diaz and West Side City Councilman Bob Halstead. They must submit signatures by 4 p.m. Friday.
The main endorsement event, however, is for Connecticut’s 23rd State Senate District where Ed Gomes, who once occupied the seat and City Councilman Richard DeJesus are locked in what appears to be a close contest for the endorsement. Why does the endorsement matter? The money, baby! Connecticut’s Citizens Election Program of publicly financed races provides a distinct advantage to endorsed candidates in special elections. Isn’t the whole reason for public financing to level the playing field, instead of advantages to party insiders? Well, maybe the state legislature needs to revisit the public financing money thresholds for special elections.
The endorsed candidate follows the normal fundraising protocol for a larger public grant, but petitioning candidates have the added burden of securing a whole bunch of signatures among registered voters in the district, in this particular State Senate district roughly 2000 signatures, just to spend even. For special elections public financing has multi-tier grants based on money raised and district signatures. Yes, it’s complicated. That’s why just about every campaign in this configuration needs an elections lawyer.
Whether Gomes or DeJesus receives the endorsement, they are the favorites to replace the seat vacated by Andres Ayala, the new commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles. But others may have a say in the matter if they submit 103 certified signatures to the Town Clerk’s Office by 4 p.m. Friday including former City Councilman Anderson Ayala, Sierra Club organizer Onte Johnson and perennial candidate for something Charles Hare.
RICKI, WHAT CHANGED YOU???
Anderson Ayala, Moales, Johnson, Hare crawl back under the rock from which you came.