by Thomas Breen The New Haven independent
Lisa Velasquez cast her ballot on the first day of early voting at City Hall Tuesday afternoon — before hopping into a golf cart powered by the aldermanic candidate of her choice to be ferried back to her home in the Hill.
Velasquez was one of 22 New Haveners, as of 3:45 p.m., to vote on the second floor of City Hall Tuesday for the first day of early voting in the Sept. 9 Democratic Party primaries.
Registered Democrats in Downtown/Yale’s Ward 1, the Hill’s Ward 3, and Morris Cove’s Ward 18 can cast ballots for their preferred Democratic nominee for alder starting Tuesday.
Democratic Registrar of Voters Shannell Evans explained that early voting will be available on the second floor of City Hall and at Southern Connecticut State University’s campus at 320 Fitch St. Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, or from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They can also vote on primary day itself on Tuesday, Sept. 9 at their respective ward’s polling place.
According to election moderator Kevin Arnold, a total of 22 people had voted in the Democratic aldermanic primaries by 3:45 p.m. Tuesday. That included 16 votes in the Ward 3 rematch between incumbent Democrat Angel Hubbard and challenger Miguel Pittman, and five votes in Ward 1’s race between Norah Laughter, Elias Theodore, and Rhea McTiernan Huge. No one had cast a ballot yet in the Ward 18 race between newcomers Leland Moore and Zelema Harris.
Velasquez, who lives on Elliot Street, said she’s known Pittman “for a very long time.”
“He’ll always try to help,” she said, regardless of who’s in need. “I trust him.”
She said she’d like the ward’s next alder to prioritize addressing the neighborhood’s struggles with homelessness. She’d also like to see schools better protected from random people walking in during the day. And she wants to see the old Strong School on Orchard Street put to productive use again, ideally as “something for the kids,” such as a hub for afterschool programs.
Velasquez said she voted on the first day of early voting instead on primary day itself because it’s “easier and faster” than having to wait in any line on primary day.
Pittman said he too voted on Tuesday. “You’ve got lead by example,” he said. If he’s going to be encouraging Ward 3 Democrats to cast their ballots early, a relatively new way of voting in Connecticut, then he should do so too.
He and his wife Sandra had two golf carts, bearing “Vote Miguel Pittman Alder Ward 3” campaign signs, parked outside of City Hall on Church Street. He estimated that they’d ferried roughly eight supports to early voting so far. “We’re going to work this all week,” getting supporters to the polls to participate in early voting if they’d like, he said.
Reached by phone on Tuesday, Alder Hubbard, the endorsed Democratic nominee in this year’s Ward 3 contest, said she’s not voting early. Instead, she’ll be voting on Sept. 9, primary day itself, which she described as the “official election day.”
Hubbard described what a difficult personal time it’s been with the recent death of her mom. “I’m still in between being a grieving daughter and alder for Ward 3.” Nevertheless, she plans on pressing forward in the week ahead, talking to constituents and urging them to reelect her as alder.
She described the upcoming Democratic Primary for Ward 3 as “unfair” to the neighborhood’s voters, given that she is the endorsed Democratic candidate and Pittman, a registered Democrat, has been endorsed by the Republican and Independent Parties, thereby ensuring there will be a general election contest between the two on Nov. 4 even if Hubbard wins the primary. Pittman petitioned his way onto the Democratic primary ballot.
Pittman with supporter Lisa Velasquez.
Democratic Registrar of Voters Shannel Evans (left) at the early voting setup.
City Hall.
Two carts.