Town Democrats and Republicans Announce Candidates for 2025 Elections (reposted)

PHILIP THIBODEAU PHOTO

(We posted this article back on August 6, before many town residents were paying attention to election news. Now that candidate lawn signs have started to appear, we are re-posting it.)

Municipal elections in Southington are held in odd-numbered years. That means this fall, between October 20^th, when early voting begins, and election day on November 4^th, Southington voters will be making their choices for town leaders.

The Democratic and Republican Town Committees met in mid-July to decide on their slates of candidates for Town Council, Planning and Zoning, Board of Education, Board of Finance, Water Department, and Town Clerk. What follows is a breakdown of the slates.

TOWN COUNCIL

The Town Council is a nine-member board with broad responsibility for budget and policy; it also appoints the Town Manager, the chief administrator of the town. It is currently comprised of six Republicans and three Democrats who serve two-year terms. Three members of the council – Republican William Dziedzic and Democrats Jack Perry and Valerie DePaolo – have decided not to run again. Ballots will list the following twelve candidates:

Democrats            

George Doherty              

Charles E. Green Jr.           

Shawn Grindle                

Kristen Guida               

Chris Palmieri (incumbent)   

Dave Zoni                         

Republicans

Paul Chaplinsky (incumbent)

Jennifer Clock (incumbent)

Michael Del Santo (incumbent)

Jim Morelli (incumbent)

Tony Morrison (incumbent)

Joshua Serafino

Connecticut’s minority-representation rules mandate that each party can field a maximum of six candidates. As a result, at least three of the seats on the council will be held by a minority party or parties.

PLANNING & ZONING

The Planning & Zoning Commission plans and regulates land use in town. It is comprised of seven members, each serving four-year terms that are staggered so that only about half of the board turns over during a given election; four of the seven seats are being contested this year. It currently has five Republicans and two Democrats. Democrat Nicholas Tedesco and Republicans Robert Hammersley and Jamie Sewell are not running again.

Republicans

Denis Bougie

Mike Goodrich

Steven Walowski (incumbent)

Democrats              

Gary Dowd                

Justin McGuire                

Sue Locks                     

Dave Scott

BOARD OF FINANCE

The Board of Finance’s main duty is to craft the town budget and set the tax rate. It has six members who serve two-year terms. Current member Candice Mazzarella (Democrat) is not running again.

Democrats                                 

Kevin Beaudoin (incumbent)          

Andrew Manke                              

Steve Salerno                                

Katie Wade                                    

Republicans

Joe Labieniec (incumbent)

John Leary (incumbent)

Edward Pocock, Jr. (incumbent)

Wayne Stanforth (incumbent)

BOARD OF EDUCATION

The Board of Education is responsible for creating policies and budgets for the school system. Its nine members serve two-year terms. David Derynoski (Democrat) and Jasper Williams (Republican) are not running again.

Republicans

Joseph Baczewski (incumbent)

Sean Carson (incumbent)

Colleen W. Clark (incumbent)

Zachary M. Foti

Vincenzo Infante

Cecil Whitehead (incumbent)

Democrats                                 

Dawn Anastasio                            

Bob Brown (incumbent)                 

Lisa Cammuzo                              

Terri Carmody (incumbent)            

Chris Carnright                           

Zaya Oshana (incumbent)             

BOARD OF WATER COMMISSIONERS

The Board of Water Commissioners manages the Southington Water Department. Its six members serve staggered four-year terms; three seats are being contested this year. Democrat Rudolph Cabata is not running again.

Democrats                             

Tom Murphy (incumbent)     

Jacquelyn Salerno

Republicans

Ralph Warner (incumbent)

TOWN CLERK

The Town Clerk is responsible for issuing and archiving a wide range of town licenses, certificates, and other documents. Republican Kathy Larkin, the incumbent, is running unopposed.

All elected officials are volunteers. None of those named above are paid for their service, except for the Town Clerk.

Mark Lajoie, Chair of the Southington Republican Town Committee, released the following statement in conjunction with the slate announcement:

“The Southington Republican Town Committee is excited to announce the Republican candidates for the November 2025 municipal election. We have put together a strong team of professionals—several incumbents as well as some new faces—who are proven leaders with the knowledge and experience to keep Southington financially strong while providing the high-level services our residents deserve at a fair price.”

“Team Republican remains committed to providing balanced budgets and full support of our first responders, veterans, and seniors. We will continue to fight for lower electric costs and local control of zoning. Team Republican is committed to keeping Southington a safe place to raise a family and to providing high-quality education while working closely with our stakeholders and town employees to ensure they have the resources they need to be successful. We again ask for your support in November.”

Erin Cowles, Chair of the Southington Democratic Town Committee, also released an accompanying statement:

“We are proud to announce an energized and forward-looking slate of Democratic candidates for this fall’s local elections in Southington.”

“First, we extend our sincere thanks to Jack Perry and Val DePaolo, who have chosen not to seek reelection to the Town Council and David Derynoski, who has chosen not to seek reelection on the Board of Education. Their years of service and commitment to our community are deeply appreciated.”

“This election cycle brought a wave of enthusiasm from residents eager to get involved and make a difference. That level of engagement prompted us to take a serious look at the current makeup of our boards and commissions. We held interviews with all candidates, both new and returning, and made strategic decisions about who is best positioned to serve our town at this critical time. As a result, you’ll see an exciting mix of new and familiar faces on the slate. We are proud to move forward with a strong slate of candidates who bring the energy, initiative, and accountability Southington needs.”

“Southington is at a crossroads, and we need public servants who are not just willing to hold office, but ready to roll up their sleeves on day one. Our priority is clear: to build boards and commissions that work for the people and move our town forward with transparency, urgency, and purpose.”

Elections in town are often close. In 2022 the contest between Tony Morrison and Christopher Poulos attracted national attention after it was decided by a single vote. For more details on how or where to vote, go to the Office of Registrar of Voters page (https://www.southington.org/departments/elections_department_registrar_of_voters/index.php).

The Outsider will provide more in-depth coverage of the candidates and the issues throughout the fall.