by | Oct 25, 2011 6:35 am | Comments (27)
An association of African-American ministers — traditionally considered crucial conduits to the black vote in New Haven — have announced their support for Mayor John DeStefano’s bid for a 10th two-year term.
by | Oct 23, 2011 11:50 am | Comments (27)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
Smart (second from left) chairs a hearing into tax assessor abuses.
Mayoral challenger Jeffrey Kerekes has received his first endorsement from an elected official, Wooster Square Alderman Michael Smart.
by | Oct 21, 2011 4:37 pm | Comments (31)
Melissa Bailey Photo
DeStefano (l) accepts the endorsement from Firebirds President Gary Tinney (r).
Black firefighters Friday applauded a new partnership with the city on a local recruitment drive — and said they want the mayor to stay put so that partnership continues.
by | Oct 13, 2011 11:10 am | Comments (9)
Thomas MacMillan File Photos
DeStefano and Kerekes.
The going price for a Democratic primary vote in New Haven was $86 for an incumbent, and $11 if you were a publicly financed challenger.
by | Oct 11, 2011 4:48 pm | Comments (47)
Paul Bass Photo
The candidate seeking to unseat John DeStefano has a $5 million-plus bill with the mayor’s name on it.
by | Sep 30, 2011 3:08 pm | Comments (22)
Melissa Bailey Photo
After working against Mayor John DeStefano in past elections, prominent Latino politicians huddled together with their new ally in a jubilant, rain-soaked rally Thursday.
by | Sep 30, 2011 10:59 am | Comments (16)
Laurel Leff File Photo
Saiano (left), with a campaign worker.
Sarah Saiano, the only one of 15 union-backed aldermanic candidates who didn’t win in this month’s Democratic primary, bowed out of the general election race this week, effectively putting a union-City Hall campaign battle to rest.
by | Sep 28, 2011 11:00 am | Comments (8)
Allan Appel Photo
Rabbi Eli Greer, High Holiday shofar, and candidate Kerekes.
Jeffrey Kerekes discovered his Jewish roots — the Jewish grassroots, that is, not his personal family lineage — as he took his post-primary mayoral campaign along with a traditional Rosh Hashanah apples and honey greeting to Tower One/Tower East.
by | Sep 27, 2011 5:49 pm | Comments (6)
Republican Town Chairman Richter Elser Tuesday vowed to find a last-minute replacement for incumbent Morris Cove Alderwoman Arlene DePino on November’s election ballot — and therefore field at least a single candidate for office this year.
by | Sep 27, 2011 7:49 am | Comments (11)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
Back to the future: Darnell Goldson (left) and Carlton Staggers and Honda Smith (right) vied for votes on primary night.
(Updated) In West Rock, an alderman is gearing up for another chance to fend off a challenger to his seat with the help of a new “campaign guru.” In East Rock, a deposed incumbent decided to forgo another grueling campaign.
by | Sep 22, 2011 8:00 am | Comments (71)
Civil-rights activist Michael Jefferson helped Jeffrey Kerekes relaunch his mayoral campaign with a passionate pitch aimed at crucial voters: African-Americans.
by | Sep 16, 2011 4:44 pm | Comments (9)
Allan Appel Photo
(l-r) Adam Marchand and Michael Slattery.
A recount of the Ward 25 Democratic Primary aldermanic elections produced identical results to Tuesday night’s count: 459 for Adam Marchand and 440 for Michael Slattery. Since no other candidates are running in the November general election, that assures the labor-backed candidate will become the Westville ward’s new representative.
by | Sep 15, 2011 1:50 pm | Comments (7)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
West River Alderman Yusuf Shah Thursday declared himself not a candidate for reelection and threw his support to the woman seeking to boot him for office.
by | Sep 15, 2011 7:54 am | Comments (63)
Laurel Leff Photo
Gwen Mills was on her way to another precinct when she noticed volunteers lingering in front of Frank Douglass’ home. Polls would close in fewer than four hours, and there was a party machine to defeat.
by | Sep 14, 2011 4:17 pm | Comments (12)
Twenty-nine percent of New Haven’s 45,449 registered Democrats turned out to vote for mayor in Tuesday’s party primary.
by | Sep 14, 2011 10:02 am | Comments (31)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
Susie Voigt greeted union-backed Brian Wingate in Beaver Hills.
When union-backed aldermanic candidates swept aldermanic primaries Tuesday, they were fueled by $200,000 in labor support. That money marks the end of “local” races, proclaimed Democratic Town Committee Chair Susie Voigt.
by | Sep 13, 2011 11:25 pm | Comments (31)
Melissa Bailey Photo
Kerekes and “staunch supporter” Robyn Hayes.
Declaring that Tuesday’s Democratic primary showed John DeStefano has “lost control of the city,” mayoral challenger Jeffrey Kerekes vowed to make a second attempt at toppling him in November.
by | Sep 13, 2011 11:02 pm | Comments (13)
Melissa Bailey Photo
In her quest to topple a Dixwell alderman, Jeanette Morrison had an extra weapon Tuesday: A minivan-turned-campaign-shuttle bringing loads of Yale students to her polling station.
by | Sep 13, 2011 10:27 pm | Comments (3)
Patricia Webb could easily have walked down the street from her house to vote in Ward 20’s primary elections Tuesday at Lincoln-Bassett School. But Alderman Charles Blango’s campaign had other plans for her.
by | Sep 13, 2011 9:22 pm | Comments (85)
Neena Satija Photo
Unions celebrated with victorious Jessica Holmes in East Rock.
Thomas MacMillan Photo
DeStefano spoke flanked by firefighter Frank Ricci (at right).
(Updated 11:36 p.m.) Labor-backed candidates toppled incumbents and other City Hall supporters in aldermanic primaries across town Tuesday night, delivering a powerful “change” message.
“The unions kicked ass tonight,” said Mayor John DeStefano, who cruised to victory in his own primary against three Democratic challengers as he seeks a 10th two-year term.
Allan Appel Photo
Graves: “There are still folks with a slave mentality.”
by | Sep 13, 2011 7:16 pm | Comments (13)
Gwyneth Shaw Photo
Jeffrey Kerekes and John DeStefano meet up at Edgewood School Tuesday afternoon.
Mayor John DeStefano inspired a last-minute vote, as well as a curbside debate, outside Edgewood School, while in Fair Haven an influential minister found candidates triply blessed.
by | Sep 13, 2011 5:04 pm | Comments (15)
Thomas MacMillan Photo
As a mid-afternoon voting lull settled on New Haven’s otherwise hectic primary election, Clifton Graves found himself face to face with a recalcitrant “Graves for Mayor” sign.
by | Sep 13, 2011 12:48 pm | Comments (5)
Allan Appel Photo
Santiago & Bauer in Fair Haven.
As would-be aldermen made the final scramble in hard-fought primaries across town Tuesday, some opponents were finding it easy to occupy amicable ground at the polls.
by | Sep 13, 2011 11:20 am | Comments (7)
Paul Bass File Photo
The City Clerk’s office rejected 15 absentee ballots already one day before polls opened for New Haven’s Democratic primaries.
by | Sep 12, 2011 8:19 pm | Comments (7)
Polls open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday for New Haven’s Democratic Party primaries. Voters in all 30 city wards can vote in the mayoral primary, which pits incumbent Mayor John DeStefano against challengers Anthony Dawson, Clifton Graves, and Jeffrey Kerekes. In addition, voters in 16 wards can cast ballots in contests for aldermanic nominations.
Following is a list of polling places; and the names of candidates running for alderman. For background on the candidates, search the Independent site by their last names and/or click on the hyperlinks highlighted in blue in the list below. A (U) after a candidate’s name means he or she is running on the slate assembled by Yale’s unions (and in most cases also backed by municipal unions). A (P) means the candidate is running in concert with the party establishment and DeStefano campaign. (It doesn’t necessarily mean the party officially endorsed the candidate; party leaders and the mayor’s team are opposing some candidates, such as in Wards 28 and 30, who received the party’s official endorsement.)