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  • 24 Jun 2025 2:32 PM | Pat Nastri (Administrator)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Date: June 22, 2025

    Contact: Eric Lipka, erictlipka@gmail.com

    Wallingford Democrats announce candidate slate ahead of 2025 local elections, pledging to boost local schools, tackle the housing affordability crisis for all ages, and build a fair and sustainable tax system that supports working families.

    WALLINGFORD, CONN. — On Wednesday, at a general body meeting of the Wallingford Democratic Town Committee (WDTC) members nominated their initial slate of candidates for the November 2025 local elections, in anticipation of endorsements in July. Alida Cella was nominated by Jim Fitzsimmons to lead the ticket in a challenge to first-term Republican Mayor Vincent Cervoni. Alida Cella is a 20-year Wallingford resident, a solar financing professional, small business owner, and a former union organizer. Additionally, she served as Chair of the Beth Israel Synagogue of Wallingford for a decade and has been the Chair of the Wallingford Democratic Town Committee for over 5 years.

    “Wallingford deserves leaders that listen, with real plans to address the problems our town faces,” said Alida Cella, Democratic nominee for mayor of Wallingford. “Right now, Wallingford is seeing a decline in the number of young families seeking to make this place home. Our slate is committed to creating a Wallingford that brings families into the fold and boosts those already here by investing in our schools, making housing affordable, and creating a local tax system that supports our families. With some elbow grease, hard work, and our rock-solid planning, I’m confident we can get there.”

    Along with Ms. Cella, the WDTC nominated Jeff Kohan and Bryan Rivard for Town Council, both with extensive experience and connections in town. Mr. Kohan, a longtime IT executive for IBM & Aetna, has been a Planning and Zoning Commissioner for 12 years, in addition to serving as a youth soccer coach, former SCROG Chair and current WPAA Board member. Mr. Rivard, a Program Director at Pratt & Whitney, has served on the Parent Teacher Advisory Council for the past 10 years and is currently on the board of the Meriden Wallingford United Way; he also currently serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission. To round out the new candidates, Melanie Rossaci, MSW, was also nominated. Melanie is a Consulting Senior Manager: Public Sector Service at Accenture who graduated from Sheehan High School and currently serves on the Board of Education. The rest of the slate is set to include the three incumbents: Jesse Reynolds, Sam Carmody, and Vinnie Testa, whose nominations were met with eager enthusiasm by the rest of the Wallingford Democratic Town Committee.

    For the Board of Education, the WDTC nominated incumbents Dr. Maureen Reed and Mike Votto to rounds of applause, along with a diverse bench of new candidates. Brenda Shuler is a nurse and business owner well known locally as a community leader. She is joined by Dr. Kyler Allen, a local Clinical Neuropsychologist and public education/community advocate, Kristi Doerr, an accountant and 20+ year Wallingford resident who serves on the Public Library Committee, and Duncan Craig, a sales professional who leads YIMBY Central CT in addition to serving as Chair for the WDTC communications team.

    Full list of current nominations below:

    Mayor, Town of Wallingford:

    Ms. Alida Cella

    Wallingford Town Council:

    Mr. Samuel Carmody (inc.)

    Mr. Jesse Reynolds (inc.)

    Mr. Vinnie Testa (inc.)

    Mr. Jeffrey Kohan

    Mr. Bryan Rivard

    Ms. Melanie Rossacci

    Wallingford Board of Education:

    Dr. Maureen Reed (inc.)

    Mr. Michael J. Votto Sr. (inc.)

    Dr. Kyler Allen

    Mr. Duncan Craig

    Ms. Kristi Doerr

    Ms. Brenda Shuler

    Currently, Wallingford’s public schools rank 97th out of 151 districts, with math proficiency trailing state averages by nearly 10 points. Housing remains out of reach for many residents: just 4.2% of Wallingford homes qualify as affordable—well under the 10% target set by Connecticut law. At the same time, families are shouldering a rising tax burden with many homeowners seeing double-digit increases after this year’s property revaluation.

    In light of this, Wallingford Democrats are offering an alternative vision for the town. With a Democratic mayor and majorities on the town council and board of education, Wallingford Public Schools will be a top-twenty district, housing will be affordable and accessible to all, and working families can focus on what matters most, free from the burden of a grand list far too dependent on its residential tax revenue.

    ###

  • 14 Mar 2025 10:44 AM | Pat Nastri (Administrator)

    Next Wednesday is the deadline for raising $1,500, which will unlock $1,500 more in matching gifts from our generous anonymous donors. A big thanks to those of you who already gave!


    If you have not yet given, we need your help to raise $655 more.


    If just 33 of you give $20 each, we’ll make our goal! Donate now, at whatever amount you can. 


    https://secure.anedot.com/wallingford-dtc/donate?embed=true


    Let’s make that goal and celebrate together next Wednesday!


    Thank you,


    Tara Gorvine

    Fundraising Committee Chair


  • 23 Aug 2024 11:21 AM | Jay Cosgrove (Administrator)

    Voting options in Connecticut have expanded in recent years, namely the addition of early voting. Absentee ballot voting is still available and makes sense for certain individuals, particularly college students who might prefer to maintain voter registration status in their home city or town while away attending college.

    College bound students! If you are 18 years old now, or 17 with your 18th birthday coming before OR even on Election Day Tuesday November 5th, make sure you're registered to vote by filling out, printing and mailing the State of CT Mail-In Voter Registration - OR  - going to the Town of Wallingford Registrar of Voters office, Room 211, at Town Hall, 45 South Main Street, Wallingford CT 06492.

    Absentee ballots! You should apply for one if you're registered and plan to vote, but...

    • have plans this Fall to reside at school on or near campus
    • want to keep Wallingford as your permanent home voting address
    • will not be voting early (October 21st - October 31st, November 1st - 3rd - see CT's Official State Website for other early voting information)
    • will not be in Wallingford on Election Day.

    In Wallingford, the Town Clerk is responsible for absentee ballot applications. To apply for one, contact or visit the Wallingford Town Clerk, Room 108 or go online to the Connecticut Online Absentee Ballot Request Portal, and complete the form. If you use the CT Online Portal, the Town Clerk's office will contact you only if there's an issue with the application. Otherwise, your absentee ballot will be mailed, beginning Friday October 4th, to the address used on your application .

    As for returning the completed ballot, by mail or in person: Connecticut election law requires that if mailed it "Must be received by the close of polls on Election Day. Hand-delivered ballots must be received the day before an election if delivered by the voter and by the close of polls on Election Day if delivered by a designated agent."


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The WDTC endorses and supports local Democratic candidates, and works with the CT Democratic State Central Committee and the Democratic National Committee.

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