Two more people have added their names to the Board of Education ballot for the November election – the latest of several changes since the end of July, when the Democrats and Republicans each nominated candidates.
The ballot shuffling sets the stage for a larger pool of candidates for voters to chose from in November.
As of Wednesday, there were 17 people running for nine seats.
John “Jay” Francino-Quinn and Kathleen Yolish, both Republicans, were the latest to join the ballot, after they filed paperwork with the City Clerk this month to be added as petitioning candidates.
The other changes over the past month include:
- Leon Sylvester a Democrat nominated at the July 27 caucus, has withdrawn his name from the ballot. The Democratic Town Committee has since nominated Michael Pacowta to take his place on the slate.
- Democrat James E. Orazietti, who was not nominated by the party, has petitioned to get on the ballot as an independent candidate.
- Citizens United, the city’s third political party, announced five people are running on its ticket for the Board of Education: Eric Levine, Christopher Panek, Patricia Kodz, Chery Rotolo and Mark Widomski.
Citizens United will hold its official caucus on Sept. 1, but a technicality in election law required the party to submit paperwork for the Board of Education earlier because Citizens United did not put up candidates for that board during the last election.
“My feeling in this election, with everything going on in the city, the voters are really going to have a choice,” said Christopher Panek, the leader of the Citizens United party and one of its candidates for the Board of Education.
“This year you could have a totally split board with no majority,” Panek said.
The Board of Education has nine seats, and according to city charter, no more than five can be held by one party.
While parties can chose nine people to run for the Board of Education, they often chose four or five, meaning almost all are guaranteed a spot on the board.
After the parties nominated slates on July 27, it appeared the same would be true this year: The Democrats and Republicans each chose five people to run for Board of Education.
But there were others who were interested in being put on the ballot.
Republicans
Francino-Quinn and Yolish, for example, said they had been interested in running.
Yolish, a retired Shelton teacher of 35 years, said she interviewed for a seat that became vacant mid-term, but was not chosen. Francino-Quinn, a retired paramedic, said he asked to be put on the ballot last election, and had submitted his resume to be considered this time as well.
“We wanted the opportunity,” Francino-Quinn said. “It was afforded to us by means of the petition.”
Mayor Mark Lauretti had also wanted more names on the education slate, according to media reports after the July 27 caucus. That night he stormed out of the Republican meeting when members said no one beyond the nominating committee’s recommendations could be nominated that night if they weren’t present at the meeting.
Lauretti was unable to be reached for comment Wednesdsay.
Francino-Quinn and Yolish said they weren’t sure if Lauretti intended to nominate them that night.
Democrats
Orazietti also wanted to be put on the ballot.
At the Democratic caucus July 27, his name wasn’t included on the list, though.
After storming out of his party’s caucus that night, Orazietti returned to the City Clerk’s office days later with enough signatures to get on the ballot as an independent candidate.
Orazietti said the nominating process was a way to control the Board of Education, which controls more than half the town’s annual budget. He believed the Democrats didn’t nominate him because he crossed party lines to support the mayor on some issues.
Democrats said his name wasn’t put on the ballot because of a miscommunication.
“If people are interested in where their tax dollars go, they should pay more attention to the Board of Education,” said Orazietti, who is finishing his sixth term on the Board of Education.
“It’s not like my ego would be terribly bruised if I’m not elected,” Orazietti said. “It’s something I like to do, I’m good at it. I don’t play favorites and I get the job done.”Citizens United
The active third political party in Shelton, Citizens United, is also trying to get candidates on the Board of Education. Panek said the party has run candidates since 2003, but didn’t put anyone up for the Board of Education in the last election.
But, Panek said, Citizens United has increased interest from citizens of all political parties, and expects to run almost a full slate of candidates in November.
“All I’m looking for is to run a slate of candidates of new names. People honest, with integrity, who will place votes on any board based on what’s right for the citizens of Shelton,” Panek said.
