On November 2, Wallingford residents voted in municipal elections including the mayoral, town council, and Board of Education races. A few hours after the polls closed at 8 p.m., results of the elections were announced. Incumbent Republican Mayor William W. Dickinson Jr. defeated Democratic challenger and Choate alumni Riley O’Connell ’14. Mayor Dickinson’s next term will mark his twentieth consecutive term in office, and his 39th year as mayor.
This election is the closest a Democratic mayoral candidate has come to election in 30 years. Mayor Dickinson won by just 400 votes, with 6,632 votes to Mr. O’Connell’s 6,236 votes.
In his concession speech, Mr. O’Connell congratulated Mayor Dickinson on a well-won election and hoped the mayor “takes some of the ideas [that O’Connell’s campaign has brought forward] to heart.” Mr. O’Connell also mentioned that local Democratic candidates will continue to stay politically involved: “We’re still going to do all we can to hold our elected officials to it.”
During his victory celebration, Dickinson stated that “the vote stands for what people are thinking right now, and I’m happy to be winning, but obviously [it was] a close race.”
As for both the Town Council and Board of Education, Republicans held a six to three majority. The current Town Council — incumbent Republicans Craig Fishbein, Vincent Cervoni, Autumn Allinson, Tom Laffin, Joe Marrone, Christina Tatta, and Democrats Gina Morgenstein, Vincent Testa Jr. — will be joined by Democrat Sam Carmody. The new Board of Education reelected Republicans Ray Ross and Tammy Raccio and added Republicans Rajan Doering, Jennifer Passaretti, Donna Regan, and Marla Roscoe. Democratic incumbents Michael Votto, Kathy Castelli, and Patrick Reynolds also retained their seats on the Board.
To conclude the 2021 election cycle with a promise, leaders from both parties have passed a $17 million referendum for a new library in Southington.
